By Scott McLaughlin/DFP Staff
1) No. 12 Boston College (11-6-2, 8-4-2)
Before winter break, the Eagles separated themselves from the rest of Hockey East by going 6-0-1 in their last seven games heading into the layoff. Since the holidays, they’ve done a dandy job of coming back to the pack. BC lost three in a row to start the second half before finally picking up a 4-1 win over Providence on Tuesday night. The Eagles are the only team to rank in the top two in the conference in offense (3.47 goals per game), defense (2.74 goals-against average) and special teams net (+9).
2) No. 16 University of Maine (11-7-2, 8-4-1)
The Black Bears, who’ve finished eighth or worse in each of the last two seasons, haven’t lost since Nov. 20, posting a 7-0-2 record since. They concluded December with an impressive 3-2 win over No. 8 Colorado College in the championship game of the Florida College Classic. Maine boasts the nation’s No. 3 offense (3.75 GPG) and No. 1 power play (28.8%), both of which owe a lot to sophomore forward Gustav Nyquist, who ranks second in the conference with 31 points (13g, 18a).
3) No. 20 University of New Hampshire (9-7-4, 9-2-3)
UNH is 7-0-2 in its last nine Hockey East games and currently holds a three-point lead over second-place BC in the standings. Out of conference is a different story, though. With their 5-2 loss to No. 9 Cornell University on Jan. 3, the Wildcats are now an atrocious 0-5-1 in non-league contests. Because the PairWise Rankings used to determine the NCAA field weigh non-conference performance so heavily, UNH may have to win the league tournament to make the NCAAs, even if it does win the regular-season title.
4) No. 15 University of Massachusetts-Lowell (12-7-2, 6-4-2)
The River Hawks have gone just 4-5-1 since climbing to No. 3 in the national polls on Nov. 23. Three of those losses have come against lowly Providence, Princeton University and Northeastern. But UML still owns Hockey East’s best defense (2.38 GAA), anchored by senior defenseman and All-American candidate Nick Schaus and senior goalies Carter Hutton and Nevin Hamilton, who rank first and second in the conference in GAA and first and third in save percentage, respectively.
5) No. 19 University of Massachusetts-Amherst (12-8-0, 7-6-0)
On Nov. 28, the Minutemen were in first place. Since then, they’ve gone 3-6-0 and fallen into a fourth-place tie with UML. Prior to beating Northeastern, 4-1, on Sunday, UMass had been outscored 18-6 in its previous three games, all losses. Not struggling, however, are forwards junior James Marcou and sophomore Casey Wellman, arguably the best 1-2 punch in the nation. Marcou leads the country in points (34) and assists (28), while Wellman is tied for the national lead in goals (17).
6) No. 18 University of Vermont (10-6-2, 4-5-2)
Vermont is the antithesis of UNH. The Catamounts are currently tied for sixth in the standings with BU, but their 6-1-0 non-conference record actually gives them the best PairWise Ranking of any Hockey East team (10th). The standings are probably more indicative of their true identity, though. Vermont is tied for seventh in offense (3.00 GPG), is sixth in defense (3.06 GAA) and is ninth in special teams net (-5). In conference play, those rankings are even worse (8th, 9th and 10th, respectively).
7) Boston University (6-9-3, 4-7-2)
Look who’s won two in a row to start the New Year. The Terriers’ 7-3 win over UMass on Jan. 2 and 3-2 win over BC on Friday have moved them into a sixth-place tie in the standings and moved them out of the basement of the Daily Free Press Power Rankings. BU is still tied for seventh in offense (3.00 GPG) and still ranks eighth in defense (3.39 GAA), though. But the Terriers’ special teams, which have shown steady improvement throughout the season, now rank third with a plus-7 net.
8) Northeastern University (8-10-1, 4-9-1)
The Huskies appeared to be turning a corner when they won the Ledyard Bank Classic over break, beating Dartmouth College and UML by a combined score of 9-1, but then they dropped two home contests to the River Hawks and Minutemen last weekend. NU ranks ninth in Hockey East in offense (2.58 GPG) and last in penalty killing (73.1%). Freshman goalie Chris Rawlings continues to be a bright spot, though –– he’s tied for fourth in the conference with a .911 save percentage.
9) Merrimack College (7-11-0, 4-7-0)
The Warriors are a horrid 1-8-0 in their last nine games. In that span, they’ve fallen from the thick of the race for home ice to ninth place, one point behind NU for the final playoff spot. The cinder block sinking Merrimack is its defense. The Warriors are giving up a league-worst 3.50 goals per game. In those last nine games, that figure balloons to 4.22. Senior Andrew Braithwaite and sophomore Joe Cannata have gone from one of the league’s best goaltending tandems last season to one of the worst this season.
10) Providence College (7-10-1, 2-8-1)
After the River Hawks, the Friars have the best goaltending in Hockey East. Sophomore Alex Beaudry places third in the conference in GAA (2.54) and second in save percentage (.921). Unfortunately, Providence has the worst of just about everything else. It ranks last in offense (2.33 GPG), power play (14.7%) and special teams net (-6). The Friars have lost six straight games, and have scored a pitiful nine goals (1.5 per game) in that span.
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