DENVER – The University of Denver hockey team ranks No. 3 in the nation in both the USCHO.com and the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls after the latest rankings were released on Monday.
 
The Pioneers stayed put in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and moved up one spot in the USCHO.com rankings after they swept their weekend series at home against Miami. Denver won 7-0 on both Friday and Saturday night, the first time they earned a weekend shutout since Jan. 21-22, 2022 against Colorado College and the first time they tallied seven times in both games since also doing it versus the RedHawks on Feb. 21-22, 2020 in Denver.
 
Counting its 7-2 win over Alaska Fairbanks on Jan. 7, DU has scored at least seven goals in each of its last three games (all wins). It's the first time that the Pioneers have accomplished the feat since Nov. 3-10, 1989 at Alaska Fairbanks (W 12-5, W 8-1) and at Michigan Tech (W 8-6). Denver last won three straight home games by scoring seven markers on Oct. 9-16, 1987 against Minnesota Duluth (W 7-1, W 7-3) and Wisconsin (W 8-3).
 
Quinnipiac remains No. 1 in both national polls, while Minnesota is No. 2. Denver received four first-place votes in the USCHO.com rankings and trail the Gophers by just 15 points (935-920). In the USA Today/USA Magazine list, UM has a 17-point edge over DU (635-618). The Pios have been ranked in the top four all season long.
 
The Pioneers' next games will be a top-five matchup, as they travel to Minnesota for Friday and Saturday games against the St. Cloud State Huskies, who come in at No. 4 in both polls. It will be the second top-five meeting of the year between DU and SCSU, as the teams split their weekend series at Magness Arena on Nov. 4-5 when the Pios were No. 2 and the Huskies were No. 4. St. Cloud won 4-3 in overtime on the first night before Denver earned a 3-2 victory the next.
 
This weekend marks the Pioneers' first games against a ranked opponent since sweeping then-No. 12/13 North Dakota in Grand Forks on Nov. 11-12. DU is 6-3-0 this year versus ranked teams.
 
In the Pairwise computer rankings that determine the field for the national tournament, Denver presently ranks fourth overall behind Minnesota, Quinnipiac and Penn State.
 
Western Michigan is the only other NCHC squad that is listed in the two national-voting polls, as the Broncos rank No. 10 in each ranking. Omaha, North Dakota and Colorado College are also receiving votes in at least one of the polls.
 

About the USCHO.com Poll: The rankings are compiled weekly and consists of 50 voters, including coaches and media professionals from across the country.
 
About the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll: The rankings are conducted each week in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association. The poll includes input from coaches and journalists representing each of the six NCAA Division I ice hockey conferences, as well as composite votes from officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey.
 
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