Following a weekend sweep of the defending-WCHA-champion Wisconsin Badgers, the Minnesota men’s hockey team received 21 of 40 first-place votes in being named the top team in the nation by United States College Hockey Online.
Minnesota posted 4-0 and 5-2 wins over Wisconsin at home last weekend. That, coupled with a loss by previous number one Michigan vaulted the Gophers into the top spot.
Gophers coach Don Lucia said the season was too young to take rankings to heart.
“The reality is, we’re one of a couple teams that hasn’t lost a game yet. Deserving or not, that’s what happens. I’m not sure we’re in the top four of our league let alone No. 1 the country. We’ve won games playing at home and we have a lot to prove,” Lucia said.
Minnesota now wears a bulls-eye heading into this weekends’ series with defending national champion North Dakota at Ralph Englestad Arena in Grand Forks.
“Hey, great we beat Wisconsin twice, but look at what we face now. We play the defending national champions in their own building,” Lucia said.
Minnesota is still perfect on the season with a 7-0-1 record. The lone blemish was a 3-3 tie at home against Alaska-Anchorage.
The Gophers rank second in the USA Today college hockey poll. Boston College, who received 17 votes in the USCHO poll, took the top spot.
David LaVaque covers men’s hockey and welcomes comments at [email protected]