This is my weekly WCHA Power Rankings for INSIDEHOCKEY, Zack Friedli from Hockey State of Mind and I do
a weekly WCHA Power Rankings.
1. Minnesota – (20-8-0 WCHA, 24-12-1) – This past weekend the Minnesota Gophers won the MacNaughton Cup Champions with a split of their weekend series with the Wisconsin Badgers (1-4 L, 2-1 W) at Mariucci Arena. This weekend the Gophers entertain the last place University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. The Gophers will be looking to revenge last season’s early exit from the playoffs at the hands of the UAA Seawolves. The Gophers are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games. Series Prediction: Gophers win their series against the Seawolves in two games.
1. Minnesota – (20-8-0 WCHA, 24-12-1) – This past weekend the Minnesota Gophers won the MacNaughton Cup Champions with a split of their weekend series with the Wisconsin Badgers (1-4 L, 2-1 W) at Mariucci Arena. This weekend the Gophers entertain the last place University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. The Gophers will be looking to revenge last season’s early exit from the playoffs at the hands of the UAA Seawolves. The Gophers are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games. Series Prediction: Gophers win their series against the Seawolves in two games.
2. Minnesota Duluth – (16-7-5 WCHA,
22-8-6) – This past weekend the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs took one point (1-2
L, 3-3 T) in their weekend series against the Saint Cloud State Huskies. This weekend
the Bulldogs entertain the Minnesota State Mavericks. The Bulldogs are 5-3-2 in
their last 10 games. Series Prediction: The Bulldogs win their series against
the Mavericks in two games.
2. Denver – (16-8-4 WCHA, 21-11-4)
– This past weekend the Denver Pioneers swept the Nebraska Omaha Mavericks (3-0
W, 3-2 O.T. W) in Omaha. This weekend the Pioneers entertain the Wisconsin
Badgers. The Denver Pioneers are 6-3-1 their last 10 games. Series Prediction: The
Denver Pioneers win their series against the Badgers in two games.
4. North Dakota – (16-11-1 WCHA, 20-12-3)
– The University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux swept the Minnesota State
Mavericks last weekend in Grand Forks, ND. This weekend the Fighting Sioux
entertain the Bemidji State Beavers in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs. The
Fighting Sioux are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Series Prediction: The
Fighting Sioux will win their series against the upstart Beavers in three
games.
5. Colorado College – (15-12-1
WCHA, 18-14-2) – The Colorado College Tigers swept their weekend series with
the Michigan Tech Huskies (5-2 W, 2-0 W). This weekend the Tigers again will entertain
the Michigan Tech Huskies again, in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. The Tigers are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. The Tigers will gain momentum off of last
weekend’s sweep against the Huskies. Series Prediction: The Tiger will win their
series against the improved Michigan Tech Huskies in three games.
6. St. Cloud State – (12-12-4
WCHA, 15-16-4) – The Saint Cloud State Huskies “snuck” into the final home ice position
when they took three out of four points in their weekend series against the
Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (2-1 W, 3-3 T). This weekend the Huskies entertain
the Nebraska Omaha Mavericks at the National Hockey Center. The Saint Cloud
State Huskies are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. Series Prediction: The Huskies will
end the UNO Mavericks season in three games.
7. Michigan Tech – (11-13-4 WCHA,
14-18-4) – This past weekend the Tech Huskies were swept in their weekend
series against the Colorado College Tigers (2-5 L, 0-2 L). This weekend the
Huskies travel to Colorado Springs to play the Tigers again. This season’s
version of the Michigan Tech Huskies is a vastly improved hockey team; after winning
4 games the season before the Huskies managed to win 10 more games this season
to finish in 8th place in the WCHA standings. The Huskies have
cooled off a bit and are 2-6-1 in their last 10 games. Series Prediction:
The Colorado College Tigers will end the Tech Huskies season in three games.
8. Nebraska-Omaha – (11-12-5
WCHA, 14-16-6) The Nebraska Omaha were swept in their weekend series against
the Denver Pioneer at Century Link Center (0-3 L, 2-3 O.T. L). The Nebraska
Omaha Mavericks were 38 seconds away from securing home ice for the first round
of the WCHA playoffs when Luke Salazar scored the game tying goal for the Denver
Pioneers on the power play. The
Mavericks fate was sealed when the Pioneers Daniel Doremus' goal 2:35 into
overtime. The Mavericks are struggling as of late as they have lost four games
in a row, five of their last six and they are 2-6-2 in their last 10 games. This
weekend the Mavericks travel to Saint Cloud to play the Huskies. Series
Prediction: The Huskies will end the Mavericks season in
three games.
9. Bemidji State – (11-14-3
WCHA, 17-16-3) – The Bemidji State Beavers swept their weekend series with the
UAA Seawolves (5-4 W, 2-1 W) in Anchorage, Alaska. Needing a win to move up in
the WCHA standings, the Beavers overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Seawolves 5-4.
With the win the Beavers vaulted over the Wisconsin Badgers to finish ninth in
the WCHA standings. This weekend the Beavers travel down Highway 2 to Grand
Forks, ND play the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux in the first round
of the WCHA playoffs. The Beavers are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. Series
Prediction: The Fighting Sioux will end the Beavers season in three games.
10. Wisconsin – (11-15-2 WCHA, 16-16-2)
– The Wisconsin Badgers split their weekend Series with the MacNaugton Cup Champions;
the Minnesota Golden Gophers. This weekend the Wisconsin Badgers will travel to
Denver to play WCHA playoffs series against the Pioneers. The Badgers are 4-6
in their last 10 games. After starting out the season going a dismal 1-8-1 on
the road, the Badges have improved down the stretch and gone 3-1 in their last 4 games on the road,
to improve their record of 4-9-1 away from the Kohl Center. Series Prediction: The Badgers will challenge
the Denver Pioneers at home, but the Pioneers end the Badgers season in two games.
11. Minnesota State – (8-18-2
WCHA, 12-22-2) – The Minnesota State Mavericks were swept by the North Dakota
Fighting Sioux (2-4 L, 0-3 L) at Ralph Englestad Arena. This weekend the
Minnesota State Mavericks travel to Minnesota Duluth to play the Bulldogs. The
Mavericks are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. Series Prediction: The Bulldogs will end the Mavericks
season in two games.
12. Alaska-Anchorage –
(5-22-1 WCHA, 9-23-2) – The Seawolves were swept in their weekend series
against the (1-2 L, 4-5 L) in Anchorage, Alaska. This weekend the Seawolves
travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota to play the MacNaughton Cup Champions, the
Minnesota Gophers. The Seawolves have had a rough season and have gone 3-7-0 in
their last 10 games. Series Prediction: There will be no upset this season as
the Minnesota Gophers will end the Seawolves season in two games this weekend.
