SB Nation’s Women’s College Hockey Division I Poll: Trophy time

In a weekend where a few teams were distracted by the idea of trophies coming up (not that trophy), there was a bit of chaos but for most of the teams cooler heads prevailed.

1. Wisconsin (25-2-1), 78 (6) — Last poll: 1

•  Last Week:  W 5-0 v St. Cloud State (2/1), W 11- 1 v St. Cloud State (2/2)

•  Coming Week: @ Minnesota State (2/7, 2/8)

Not much to say about a 16-1 aggregate weekend, the Badgers stay our top team and get to play almost as bad Mankato this weekend.

2. Northeastern (23-3-1), 68 (2) — Last poll: 2

•  Last week: W 2-1 v Boston University (1/28), W 3-2 OT v Connecticut (1/31)

•  Coming Week: v Harvard (2/4), @ Merrimack (2/7)

After holding on by the strength of two shorthanded goals the Huskies had the trappiest of trap games ever conceived, a trophy game right before the Beanpot and after a rivalry game in which they scored early.  This all translated into a thrilling overtime win and the Hockey East regular season crown, it also makes them this week’s ‘Belle’s of the Ball.’ They now get to head over to BU to play recently deposed Harvard in the Beanpot which always gives us some weird results.

3. Cornell (19-1-3), 66 — Last poll: 4

•  Last week: T 1-1 OT v Clarkson (1/31), W 3-2 v St. Lawrence (2/1)

•  Coming Week: @ Harvard (2/7), @ Dartmouth (2/8)

A sluggish tie and a close win over a mediocre team was still enough to move the Big Red up to third in our poll with the immense recent struggles of our next team. Up next is battle of Red supremacy when they take on a Harvard squad that might be preoccupied with the Beanpot, a win would all but lock two trophies for Cornell.

4. Minnesota (21-5-3), 60 — Last poll: 3

•  Last week: W 5-0 v Minnesota Duluth (1/31), L 0-2 v Minnesota Duluth (2/1)

•  Coming Week: @ Bemidji State (2/7, 2/8)

Normally a weekend with two shutouts would be pretty good for the Gophers, unfortunately this time after they won by five the first night they couldn’t get one in against Duluth the second time around, and their slide continues.  This next weekend brings a trip to Bemidji against a team that is also falling apart but whom typically steals a random point off these Gophers.

5. Ohio State (17-6-5), 47 — Last poll: 5

•  Last week: W 7-2 v Bemidji State (1/31), T 2-2 OT (SOW 1-0) v Bemidji State (2/1)

•  Coming Week: @ Minnesota-Duluth (2/7, 2/8)

After a few weekends of lighting things up and garnering attention the Buckeyes laid a massive egg when they tied Bemidji.  With The struggles of the Gophers the Buckeyes still control their destiny for second place in the WCHA but NCAA home ice is getting out of hand without major help.  This weekend will be a massive test as they head to Duluth with no room for error.

6. Princeton (17-4-1), 40 — Last poll: 6

•  Last week: W 3-2 @ Quinnipiac (1/28), W 2-1 @ Yale (1/31), W 4-1 @ Brown (2/1)

•  Coming Week: v Rensselaer (2/7), v Union (2/8)

The three-win week was just what the doctor ordered for the Tigers.  With those wins Princeton is in great shape in the ECAC, having only one tough game left to on the schedule, this weekend should yield them two more wins.

7. Clarkson (18-4-6), 32 — Last poll: 7

•  Last week: T 1-1 OT @ Cornell (1/31), T 2-2 OT @ Colgate (2/1)

•  Coming Week: v Brown (2/7), v Yale (2/8)

The Golden Knights would’ve liked better than two ties, though their tie with Cornell is better then most teams have done.  Right now Clarkson controls for home ice in the ECAC tournament but their wiggle room has all but disappeared.

8. Boston University (18-6-3), 22 — Last poll: 8

•  Last week: L 1-2 @ Northeastern (1/28), W 4-2 v Vermont (1/31)

•  Coming Week:  v Boston College (2/4), @ Holy Cross (2/8)

The Terriers rebounded from a tough loss to Northeastern to beat Vermont and send themselves into the Beanpot on a winning note.

9. Minnesota-Duluth (13-9-4), 17 — Last poll: 9

•  Last week: L 0-5 @ Minnesota (1/31), W 2-0 @ Minnesota (2/1)

•  Coming Week: v Ohio State (2/7, 2/8)

A split is acceptable for the Bulldogs who should be able to translate those two unexpected points to a top-4 finish in the WCHA.  This weekend will tell us if Duluth has any potential to play spoiler at the end of the season.

10. Quinnipiac (15-10-3), 5 — Last poll: ARV

•  Last week: L 2-3 v Princeton (1/28), W 3-1 @ Brown (1/31), W 3-1 @ Yale (2/1)

•  Coming Week: v Union (2/7), v Rensselaer (2/8)

Welcome to the poll Quinnipiac, after a few weeks of being on the edge the Bobcats crack into the top 10.  After a tough loss to travel partner Princeton the Bobcats regained composure for a pair of big wins.  They now get two of the most historically poor ECAC teams to continue their hot streak.

Also Receiving Votes: Harvard 4, Bemidji State 1