SB Nation’s Women’s College Hockey Division I Poll: Taking care of business

This was a strange week in women’s college hockey.  The teams decided to follow the New England Patriots motto and they did their jobs.  The top 10 only had a single loss and tie this past week.  The coming week leaves a few challenges but most of the top teams continue down the easy path just trying to hold on.

1. Wisconsin (24-2-1), (13) 130 — Last Week: 1

• Last Week: W 5-0 v Minnesota State (1/27), W 6-1 v Minnesota State (1/28)

• Coming Week: @ Bemidji St (2/3, 2/4)

The Badgers must be slightly disappointed not to have shutout the Mavericks in their second matchup. They now must turn their eyes over to Bemidji State, a team that has given them trouble in past seasons.

2. Minnesota-Duluth (18-4-4), 114— Last Week: 2

• Last Week: W 6-1 v Ohio State (1/27), W 3-0 v Ohio State (1/28)

• Coming Week: v North Dakota (2/3, 2/4)

The Bulldogs are back. This week they have a warm-up against fourth place Dakota before they head to Madison the following week.  They could lock up at least third place if they do well this weekend while they try to stay in the hunt for the regular season crown.

3. Clarkson (20-4-4), 92 — Last Week: 3

• Last Week: W 4-2 @ RPI (1/27), W 3-1 @ Union (1/28)

• Coming Week: @ Dartmouth (2/3), @ Harvard (2/4)

Clarkson continues to run the table in the ECAC and has one last weekend of easier games before ending the season with 2 weekends against top 6 teams.

4. St. Lawrence (21-3-2), 89 — Last week: 5

• Last Week: W 8-1 @ Union (1/27), W 5-3 @ RPI (1/28)

• Coming Week: @ Harvard (2/3), @ Dartmouth (2/4)

That loss to Colgate last weekend might come back to haunt the Saints but they were able to get a valuable pair of wins this weekend and look to do so again on the road next weekend.  The pair of wins puts them back in the top four and earned them the title of Belles of the Ball again this week.

5. Minnesota (19-5-3), 88— Last Week: 4

• Last Week: W 2-1 @ St. Cloud St (1/27), W 5-0 @ St. Cloud St (1/28)

• Coming Week: @ Minnesota State (2/3, 2/4)

The Gophers kept pace with Duluth and stayed a single point ahead of them in the standings.  This week should be an easy pair of wins, but they can not afford to drop any points right now.

6. Boston College (19-3-4), 70 — Last Week: 6

• Last Week: W 4-1 v Merrimack (1/25)

• Coming Week: v Boston University (1/31), v Connecticut (2/4)

It’s that time of year again, Beanpot! The Eagles will look to continue their recent dominance against rival BU, which has had their number this season, but has never won the Beanpot as a varsity program.

7. Quinnipiac (16-6-5), 41 — Last Week: T-7

• Last Week: No Games

• Coming Week: v Brown (2/3), v Yale (2/4)

The week off hopefully did the Bobcats some good as they are tied for the all important top 4 spot in the ECAC.  They play host to two middle-of-the-pack teams this weekend.

8. Cornell (13-6-3), 34— Last Week: 9

• Last Week: W 1-0 @ Dartmouth (1/27), T 2-2 OT @ Harvard (1/28)

• Coming Week: v Union (2/3), v RPI (2/4)

The Big Red had a chance to really make a case to move up but failed to do so.  A lackluster win over bottom-of-the-barrel Dartmouth followed up by a tie against woeful Harvard was not going to garner favor among pollsters.  They now get the absolute bottom of the ECAC in Union and then RPI.

T-10. Colgate (18-7-3), 17 — Last Week: 10

• Last Week: W 4-0 @ Harvard (1/27), W 6-1 @ Dartmouth (1/28)

• Coming Week: v RPI (2/3), v Union (2/4)

The Raiders offense came to life as they dismantled the bottom of the ECAC, unlike their travel partners.  They will have two weeks to garner some points and try to sneak into the top 4 in the ECAC before running into the top two teams.

T-10. Robert Morris (17-3-6), 17 — Last Week: T-7

• Last Week: W 3-1 @ Syracuse (1/27),  L 1-5 @ Syracuse (1/28)

• Coming Week: No Games

The Colonials are out of wiggle room. They seem to have survived their last test as a split with Syracuse was enough to keep their lead in the standings and win the season series over the Orange.  They now have a week off to regroup before the home stretch.

Also Receiving Votes: Princeton 13, North Dakota 7, Northeastern 3

Dropped Out: Ohio State, Boston University