UND atop national hockey polls

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota was knocked out of the top spot in both national polls by Minnesota State University this week, but remained ranked in the top three in both sets of rankings.

UND (14-5-2, 7-4-1 NCHC) fell one spot to No. 2 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and two spots to No. 3 in the USCHO.com poll after a conference split with Minnesota Duluth last weekend. UMD, meanwhile, climbed from No. 7 to No. 5 in both polls.

UND, one of five teams to garner first-place votes in either poll, hosts unranked Niagara in non-conference action on Friday and Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena. The Purple Eagles are 3-15-2 overall and 3-11-1 in the Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA).

USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll

Rk.      School (First place votes)       Record           Pts.         PR

1.         Minnesota State (20)                      16-4-1            937            4

2.         Boston University (12)                   12-3-4            916            2

3.         North Dakota (9)                       14-5-2           907            1

4.         Harvard (5)                                      10-2-2            832            3

5.         Minnesota Duluth (4)                      13-7-0            807            7

6.         Massachusetts-Lowell                    14-4-3            668            6

7.         Bowling Green                                 13-3-4            642          11

8.         Omaha                                              14-5-3            639          13

9.         Miami                                               14-8-0            602            5

10.       Vermont                                           15-5-1            575          12

11.       Michigan Tech                                  15-6-1            496            8

12.       Quinnipiac                                        15-6-1            400          15

13.       Denver                                             11-7-1            333          10

14.       Providence                                       14-7-1            330          14

15.       Colgate                                            13-6-1            312          17

16.       Minnesota                                        10-7-1            311            9

17.       Boston College                               12-7-2            253          16

18.       Yale                                                    9-4-2            203          19

19.       Michigan                                          12-7-0            137         NR

20.       Merrimack                                        11-6-2            132          18

Others receiving votes: Robert Morris 33, Northern Michigan 15, St. Cloud State 7, Union 7, Mercyhurst 2, Penn State 2, Bentley 1, Western Michigan 1.

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll

Rk.      School (1^st place)                      Record           Pts.         PR

1.         Minnesota State (13)                      16-4-1            477            4

2.         North Dakota (8)                       14-5-1           451            1

3.         Boston University (7)                     12-3-4            446            2

4.         Harvard (5)                                      10-2-2            405            3

5.         Minnesota Duluth                            13-7-0            365            7

6.         Massachusetts-Lowell                    14-4-3            273            4

7.         Omaha (1)                                        13-3-4            254          12

8.         Bowling Green                                 13-3-4            249          14

9.         Vermont                                           15-5-1            239          11

10.       Miami                                               14-8-0            238            6

11.       Michigan Tech                                  15-6-1            144            8

12.       Quinnipiac                                        15-6-1            124          15

13.       Minnesota                                        10-7-1            101            9

14.       Colgate                                            13-6-1              77         NR

15.       Providence                                       14-7-1              69          13

Others receiving votes: Yale 52, Denver 49, Boston College 38, Michigan 16, Northern Michigan 8, Merrimack 3, Robert Morris 3.