We’ll give props to George Gwozdecky for making a high-risk, high-reward decision, but it actually led us to elevate Michigan Tech in our Power Rankings. After looking dead in a sweep by Bemidji State, the Huskies rebounded to take three of four points from the WCHA favorite.

1. Merrimack (6-0-0): We’ll defer to what Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon told the Eagle-Tribune after his team was swept by Merrimack last weekend – “I mean no disrespect to Minnesota, but (Merrimack) is a better team than Minnesota. That is a complete hockey team in every sense. They know how to manage mistakes and we have to give credit where it's due.” We’ll take your word for it, coach.

2

 Colorado College (4-0-0): Jaden and Rylan Schwartz have combined for nine goals this season. The rest of the Tigers have scored only eight. Colorado College is rocking, but it needs to find some more depth.

3

 Western Michigan (5-0-3): The Broncos are showing jump right from the start. Western Michigan is outscoring opponents 14-3 in the first period, and outshooting them 78-49 in that same stanza.

4

 Minnesota (7-1-0): There’s no sophomore slump for the Gophers. Led by Wild prospect Erik Haula’s seven tallies and Florida Panthers draftee Nick Bjugstad’s six, second-year players have scored 22 of Minnesota’s 43 goals.

5

 Boston College (7-1-0): It likely won’t last, but the Eagles' snipers have amassed a 15.79 team shooting percentage. Trivial stat of the week for BC: When scoring the first goal, they’re undefeated; when giving up the first goal, they’re winless.

6

 Lake Superior (7-1-0): There are many reasons for the Lakers’ impressive start, but the one that will be overlooked? The fact that Lake Superior is drawing an average of little more than eight penalty minutes per game. That’s discipline.

7

 Michigan (6-1-1): Shawn Hunwick has started every game in goal but is undefeated on the record sheet. In the Wolverines’ only defeat, Adam Janecyk took the loss after replacing Hunwick, who was ejected from the contest.

8

 Michigan Tech (5-2-1): Well, the Huskies already have more wins than they got all of last season. If their next goal is a winning record, they have 13 more victories to go.

9

 Notre Dame (5-2-0): Sophomore Anders Lee, an Islanders draftee, became the first player in the nation to reach 10 goals. His classmate, Blue Jackets draft pick T.J. Tynan, became the first to post a dozen assists.

10

 Clarkson (5-1-2): Senior goalie and St. Louis Blues prospect Paul Karpowich is having his best season by far, posting a 1.84 GAA and .940 save percentage for the Golden Knights.

11

12

 Union (3-1-3): Like last season, the Dutchmen are becoming too dependent on special teams. Eleven of their 27 goals have come with the man advantage.

13

 Colgate (4-2-1): Sophomore forward and Anaheim Ducks prospect Chris Wagner is averaging a point per game, but could be tallying more if he didn’t average almost four minutes a game in the penalty box.

14

 Ohio State (4-3-1): The Buckeyes have yet to put together a win streak of at least two games. That may change when they head to Alabama-Huntsville next weekend.

15

  Minnesota-Duluth (4-3-1): Last year, the Bulldogs rolled to a championship on the strength of a lethal power play. This season, their Achilles heel is an awful penalty kill that’s only succeeding 73.5 percent of the time.

16

  Maine (3-2-1): Blue Jackets prospect Martin Ouellette was supposed to be the hot goaltending prospect. So far, it’s undrafted sophomore Dan Sullivan shining in the crease for the Black Bears.

17

 Connecticut (3-2-1): The Huskies have been outshot in each of the 18 periods they've played this season, yet have a winning record. That trend can’t continue for too long.

18

 Michigan State (4-4-0): After a slow start, new coach Tom Anastos has his Spartans on a bit of a roll, winning three of their last four games.

19

  Yale (1-0-1): Last year’s top seed in the NCAA Tournament finally got off the landing strip last weekend at the Ivy League Shootout, where the Bulldogs tied Princeton and beat Dartmouth.

20

 Denver (3-2-1): The weekend against Michigan Tech is one the Pioneers want to forget. And they’ll have to, with a tough five-game stretch against Minnesota-Duluth, Colorado College and Nebraska-Omaha looming.

Three Stars

Lee Reimer, Michigan State

The week: Three goals (a hat trick in Saturday’s game), four assists and a plus-7 in the Spartans’ sweep of Robert Morris.

Fun fact: A lot of hockey players also played football, lacrosse or baseball, but Reimer was actually a volleyball standout at high school in his hometown of Landmark, Manitoba.

Milos Gordic, Michigan Tech

The week: Four goals in the twinbill with Denver, including a hat trick while making his season debut in Friday’s 7-2 throttling of the Pioneers.

Fun fact: Prior to his time at Michigan Tech, he played with the Langley Chiefs of the BCHL for three years.

Kent Patterson, Minnesota

The week: Stopped 48 of 49 shots as his Golden Gophers swept both games from Alaska-Anchorage.

Fun fact: Was part of the United States’ gold medal-winning U-17 squad at the 2007 Five Nations Tournament.

Set as favorite

Bookmark

Email this

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/hide comments

Write comment

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment