Goon's WCHA Power Rankings 1/9/2012

This is my weekly WCHA Power Rankings for INSIDE HOCKEY, Zack Friedli from Hockey State of Mind and I will be doing the weekly WCHA Power Rankings.

1.  Minnesota Duluth – (10-2-2 WCHA, 14-3-3) The Bulldogs swept future NCHC foe Western Michigan University (4-1, 5-2) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Bulldogs travel to Omaha, Nebraska to play the UNO Mavericks.

2. Minnesota – (11-3-0 WCHA, 15-7-1) Minnesota lost to Notre Dame (1-4) in the Hall of Fame on Saturday night. I wouldn’t be an understatement to say that the Gophers looked out of sync and unimpressive. Since sweeping North Dakota on November 5^th, 2011 Minnesota has a record of 6-6-1. Minnesota travels to Grand Fork, ND to play UND this weekend.

3.  Nebraska-Omaha – (7-4-3 WCHA, 10-8-4) The Mavericks played Quinnipiac Bobcats this past weekend in Omaha, Nebraska (2-2 T and 4-1 W). The Mavericks entertain the high flying UMD Bulldogs this weekend.

4. Denver – (6-5-3 WCHA, 11-8-3) We keep hearing about how good the Denver Pioneers are going to be when they get their injured payers back, Beau Bennett (wrist), John Ryder (knee) David Makowski (unknown) Sam Brittain (knee) are all out with injuries; so one might say that the Pioneers are still a work in progress, however, the time is ticking on the clock. The Pioneers split with the lowly University of Huntsville Chargers this past weekend in Denver (2-3 L and 5-2 W). This weekend the Pioneers entertain the Bemidji State Beavers. 

4. North Dakota – (7-7-0, 11-8-2) The University of North Dakota beat Clarkson University 3-1 in Winnipeg Manitoba at the U.S. College Hockey Classic. It would be an understatement if I said that the University of North Dakota has been hit by the Injury Ninja and the following players are currently out of the line up for UND;  Corban Knight (lower body), Rocco Grimaldi (knee), Derek Forbort (unknown) and Derek Rodwell (shoulder, season ending).

6.  Colorado College – (12-7-1 WCHA, 9-5-0) The Tigers are a hard team to figure out, and this past weekend the Tigers got their highly talented sophomore forward Jaden Schwartz back from the Canadian WJC team. In what could be classified as a puzzling move, the Tigers scratched Schwartz from the line up for Friday night’s game. Schwartz returned to the line up on Saturday night and he would help lead the Tigers to a (3-3) tie against the Cornell Big Red. This weekend the Colorado College Tigers entertain the Saint Cloud State Huskies.

7.  Michigan Tech – (6-7-1 WCHA, 9-11-1) The Michigan Tech Huskies were idle this past weekend after being swept the weekend before in the Great Lakes Invitational (1-3 L, 1-2 L). The Huskies have lost four straight games and hope to get back to their winning says as they entertain the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves in Houghton Michigan.

7.  Bemidji State – (5-7-2 WCHA, 11-9-2) The Beavers Swept Bowling Green State University last weekend (4-1 W, 2-1 W). Since the Beavers beat UND (1-0) on the 20^th of November the Beavers have gone an impressive (7-1-1) and are unbeaten in the last five games (5-0-0).

9. St. Cloud State – (5-6-3 WCHA, 8-10-4) The Huskies were off this past weekend and travel to Colorado Springs Colorado to play the high octane Tigers. Since the Huskies beat the Minnesota Gophers (4-3) in Saint Cloud on November 18^th, the Huskies have gone a lack luster (3-5-2). 

10. Wisconsin – (4-8-2 WCHA, 9-9-2) The Wisconsin Badgers have ann impressive 9-4-1 record at home and after sweeping AHA foe cupcake RIT (6-3 W, 2-1 W). This weekend the Badgers travel to Mankato Minnesota to play the last place Minnesota State Mavericks. On paper you would think this is going to be an automatic two wins for the Badgers. Maybe not; the Badgers are an unimpressive 0-5-1 on the road and hope to pick up their first two wins at Mankato half way through the month of January.  Until the Badgers can start winning games on the road they will remain in the bottom rung of the WCHA standings and rankings.

11. Alaska-Anchorage – (3-10-1 WCHA, 6-10-2) The Seawolves haven’t played in an actual game since the 10^th of December, 2011 when they split with the C.C. Tigers (6-3 W, 3-4 L) so the Seawolves could be a little rusty when they travel to Houghton Michigan to play the Michigan Tec Huskies.

12.  Minnesota State – (2-11-1 WCHA, 6-15-1) The Minnesota State Mavericks split their series with the Saint Lawrence University Saints (3-4 L, 3-1W) in Canton, New York this past weekend. The Mavericks entertain the Wisconsin Badgers this weekend at the Verizon  Wireless Center. 

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