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Here’s this week’s WCHA Power Rankings. This season, I will be doing the WCHA Power Rankings with Taylor Seibel who is a contributor of College Hockey Weekly.
1. Denver University – (7-1-0, WCHA 5-1-0) – This weekend, the Denver Pioneers swept (4-3 W – 3-2 W) the Minnesota State University Mavericks in Mankato. This weekend, the Pioneers have a home and home series with their cross-state rival the Colorado College Tigers.
2. Saint Cloud State – (6-4-0, WCHA 4-2-0) – This past weekend, the Huskies split their series (0-3 L – 5-2 W) with the University of North Dakota at the National Hockey Center. This weekend, the Huskies are idle.
3. University of North Dakota – (4-3-1, WCHA 2-1-1) – This past weekend, UND split their series (3-0 W – 2-5 L) with the with the Saint Cloud State Huskies at the National Hockey Center. This weekend, UND entertains the last place University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs.
4. Minnesota Gophers – (6-2-1, WCHA 3-2-1) – This past weekend, the Minnesota Gophers took three points (4-0 W – 2-2 T) from UAA Seawolves in Anchorage, Alaska. This weekend, the Minnesota Gophers entertain the Wisconsin Badgers.
5. Colorado College – (7-3-0, WCHA 4-0-0) – This past weekend, the Colorado College Tigers swept the Bemidji State Beavers (3-2 W – 6-3 W) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This weekend, the Tigers have a home and home series with their cross-state rivals the Denver Pioneers.
6. Nebraska Omaha – (6-3-1, WCHA 4-1-1) – This past weekend, the Red Mavericks swept (2-1 W – 5-3 W) the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in Omaha, Nebraska. This weekend, the Mavericks are off.
7. Bemidji State – (2-3-1, WCHA 1-2-1) – This past weekend, the Bemidji State Beavers were swept (2-3 L – 3-6 W) by the Colorado College Tigers in Colorado Springs. This weekend, the Beavers entertain the Michigan Tech Huskies at the Sanford Center.
8. Wisconsin – (1-4-1, WCHA 1-2-1) – This past weekend, the Badgers were idle. This weekend the Badgers travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota to play the Minnesota Gophers in the Border Battle.
9. Michigan Tech – (2-6-0, WCHA 1-5-0) – This past weekend, the Huskies were idle. This weekend, the Huskies travel to Bemidji to play the Beavers.
10. Alaska Anchorage – (2-3-3, WCHA 0-2-2) – This past weekend, the Seawolves were able to salvage a point (0-4 L – 2-2 T) against the Minnesota Gophers at Sullivan Arena. This weekend the Seawolves are again idle.
11. Minnesota State Mankato – (3-5-2, WCHA 1-5-0) – This past weekend, the Purple Mavericks were swept (2-3 L – 3-4 L) by the Denver Pioneers. This weekend, the Mavericks are off.
12. Minnesota Duluth – (2-5-1, WCHA 0-3-1) – This past weekend, the UMD Bulldogs were swept (2-3 L – 3-6 L) by the Nebraska Omaha Mavericks. This weekend the Bulldogs travel down highway 2, to play the University of North Dakota.
Taylor Seibel's WCHA Power Rankings
1. Denver – (7-1-0, 5-1-0 WCHA) – The Pioneers took care of business in Mankato this past weekend, and they stay atop my WCHA Power Rankings. While the games were close (both were 1-goal games), the Pioneers did what they needed to do in order to get the sweep. Next weekend, the Pioneers play a home and home with arch-rival Colorado College.
2. North Dakota – (4-3-1, 2-1-1
WCHA) – UND can thank Clarke Saunders for their split this past weekend in St.
Cloud. The Junior netminder shutout the
Huskies on Friday en route to a 3-0 victory.
North Dakota continues to have its struggles, but a road split against
St. Cloud is a solid result. Next weekend
North Dakota hosts Minnesota Duluth in WCHA play.
3. St. Cloud
State
– (6-4-0, 4-2-0 WCHA) – The Huskies played very well against North Dakota,
especially in a 5-2 victory on Saturday.
While many SCSU fans will look at this weekend as a missed opportunity
to get more points, a split against North Dakota is nothing to be upset
about. SCSU is off next weekend.
4. Colorado
College
– (7-3-0, 4-0-0 WCHA) – Another weekend, sweep, and the Tigers are off to a
great start in WCHA play. CC has
averaged 4.25 goals/game in WCHA play through 4 games, and they will need to
keep up that pace if they want to continue their way up the rankings. CC plays a home and home with arch-rival
Denver next weekend.
5. Minnesota – (6-2-1, 3-2-1
WCHA) – The Gophers have arguably the best powerplay in the country, and that
showed this weekend as Minnesota scored 5 goals with the man advantage on the
weekend. Unfortunately for Minnesota,
they have struggled to find goals even strength. They will get another chance next weekend as
they host arch-rival Wisconsin.
6. Nebraska
Omaha
– (6-3-1, 4-1-1 WCHA) – The Mavericks continued their strong play, sweeping
Minnesota Duluth at home this weekend.
UNO is a dangerous team, and they are capable of wreaking havoc on the
rest of the league. Omaha looks to rest
up next weekend, as the Mavericks get a weekend off.
7. Bemidji State – (2-3-1, 1-2-1
WCHA) – The Beavers stay in the #7 spot for at least one more weekend, thanks
in large part to most of the bottom-half teams either getting swept (Duluth and
Mankato) or having the weekend off (Wisconsin and Tech). That being said, getting swept in CC is not a
great way to move up in the rankings.
The Beavers host Michigan Tech next weekend.
8. Wisconsin – (1-4-1, 1-2-1
WCHA) – Wisconsin had the weekend off, and the Badger faithful hope that they
were able to regroup from a disappointing start to the season. Surely the issues surrounding Nic Kerdiles’
suspension played a role in that, but if Wisconsin wants to make a serious run
at home ice this year, they will need better performances. That starts next weekend when Wisconsin
travels to arch-rival Minnesota for a WCHA series.
9. Alaska
Anchorage
– (2-3-3, 0-2-2 WCHA) – The Seawolves surprised many when they were able to get
a road point at North Dakota. They
backed that up with another strong weekend against Minnesota, getting another
point against a strong opponent. UAA
will have to improve their penalty kill if they want to maintain this position
(or move up). The Seawolves have next
weekend off.
10. Michigan
Tech
– (2-6-0, 1-5-0 WCHA) – The Huskies benefit from a weekend off, and they move
up 1 spot in my rankings. Tech had big
expectations coming into the season, and they were only inflated with a WCHA
opening victory over Minnesota. Since
then, Tech is 0-5 in WCHA play. The
Huskies look to get back on track next weekend with a trip to Bemidji State.
11. Minnesota
State
– (3-5-2, 1-5-0 WCHA) – The Mavericks could have easily split with Denver this
weekend, but were unable to take a point in either of their two close games
with the Pioneers. That will have to
change if Mankato plans on making a push for home ice this season. The Mavericks have a weekend off to regroup
before traveling to Madison for a series against Wisconsin.
12. Minnesota
Duluth
– (2-5-1, 0-3-1 WCHA) – The Bulldogs have the offensive talent to compete for
home ice, but Duluth will need to get a better showing from their defense and
goaltending to do so. This past weekend
the Bulldogs were swept by Omaha, and the schedule is not getting any kinder
next weekend, as Minnesota Duluth will have to travel to Grand Forks to take on
North Dakota in WCHA play.
