UND Takes Over No. 1 Spot in men’s hockey polls

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota, with just three losses through its first 15 games this season, has taken over the top spot in both national polls released on Monday.

North Dakota was one of seven teams to receive first-place consideration in the USCHO.com Division I men’s poll, claiming 29 of the 50 first-place votes to replace Boston University atop the poll. UND also overtook BU in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, garnering 28 of 34 first-place votes.

It is the first time for UND atop either poll since April 2011 when it advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four in Saint Paul, Minn., where it lost to Michigan in the national semifinal.

UND, one of five National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) teams in the USCHO poll, will host unranked Lake Superior State in non-conference action this Friday and Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll

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

1.         North Dakota (29)                     10-3-2           957            2

2.         Minnesota State (5)                        11-3-0            830            7

3.         Boston University (4)                       9-3-1            826            1

4.         Miami                                               10-4-0            789            5

5.         Michigan Tech                                  12-2-0            781            6

6.         Minnesota (2)                                    8-4-0            758            3

7.         Massachusetts-Lowell (1)                8-3-3            667            4

8.         Minnesota Duluth (3)                        9-5-0            652            8

9.         Harvard (6)                                        7-1-2            587          18

10.       Denver                                               8-3-0            564          10

11.       Vermont                                           11-3-1            562          13

12.       Omaha                                                7-3-2            456          11

13.       Colgate                                              9-5-1            397            9

14.       Bowling Green                                 10-3-1            366          15

15.       Quinnipiac                                          9-4-1            286          14

16.       Providence                                         7-5-1            221          20

17.       Boston College                                 7-7-0            159          12

18.       Merrimack                                        10-4-1            128         NR

19.       Northern Michigan                            8-3-1            109          19

20.       Robert Morris                                    8-1-3            107         NR

Others receiving votes: St. Cloud State 104, Union 67, Yale 61, St. Lawrence 39, Michigan 9, Ferris State 7, Dartmouth 5, Penn State 4, Alaska 2.

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll

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

1.         North Dakota (28)                     10-3-2           495            2

2.         Boston University (2)                       9-3-1            428            1

3.         Minnesota                                          8-4-0            398            3

4.         Minnesota State                              11-3-0            387            7

5.         Miami                                               10-4-0            354            6

6.         Michigan Tech                                  12-2-0            348            5

7.         Massachusetts-Lowell                      8-3-3            297            4

8.         Harvard (4)                                        7-1-2            258         NR

9.         Minnesota Duluth                              9-5-0            245            8

10.       Vermont                                           11-3-1            235          12

11.       Denver                                               8-3-0            201          10

12.       Colgate                                              9-5-1            122            9

13.       Omaha                                                7-3-2            112          13

14.       Bowling Green                                 10-3-1              67          15

15.       Quinnipiac                                          9-4-1              52          14

Others receiving votes: Providence 25, Boston College 19, Yale 15, Merrimack 13, Robert Morris 7, St. Cloud State 1, St. Lawrence 1.