Miami is still atop the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll, but its lead is dwindling after going winless in three games.
The RedHawks claimed the top spot Monday for the eighth straight week, but they failed to get a majority of the first-place votes. Only 20 of the 50 voters had Miami atop their ballot, with the remainder going to No. 2 Denver (14), No. 3 North Dakota (7), No. 4 Quinnipiac (7) and No. 5 Bemidji State (2).
Related link: USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll, Nov. 30, 2009
The fourth and fifth rankings, respectively, mark the highest ever attained by Quinnipiac and Bemidji State.
Miami, meanwhile is 0-1-2 in its last three games and was upset by Bemidji State last Friday in the Subway Holiday Classic at North Dakota. The RedHawks then had to rally from a two-goal deficit entering the third period to earn a 5-5 tie against the Fighting Sioux.
Part of the reason why they maintained the top spot may have been that no other top-five team in last week’s poll was able to play a perfect week. Denver split at home with St. Cloud State; Massachusetts-Lowell lost to Providence and to Maine; the Sioux beat Ohio State but had to settle for the tie with Miami; and Colorado College split at home with Alaska-Anchorage.
Lowell dropped the farthest, falling five spots to No. 8. Quinnipiac was the biggest gainer, moving up five spots to fourth.
St. Cloud State entered the poll; Colgate dropped out.
This week’s schedule features 12 games between ranked teams, with the top four all playing series against ranked opponents Friday and Saturday.
No. 1 Miami hosts No. 14 Notre Dame. No. 2 Denver plays a home-and-home series with No. 6 Colorado College in the first end of the Gold Pan series. And No. 3 North Dakota plays at No. 12 Minnesota-Duluth.
No. 19 Vermont kicked off the week with a 1-0 home victory over No. 10 Yale on Monday. The Bulldogs host No. 4 Quinnipiac on Friday.
No. 9 Massachusetts hosts No. 15 Boston College on Friday and travels to No. 8 Lowell on Saturday.
And No. 17 Ferris State hosts No. 18 Nebraska-Omaha on Friday and Saturday.
