DENVER – The Denver Pioneers hockey team ranks No 8 in both the USCHO.com and USA Hockey national media polls that were released on Monday.
DU was No. 8 in last week's USCHO.com ranking while the squad was ninth on the USA Hockey list. The Pios remained at No. 11 in the NPI computer rankings that determine the NCAA Tournament field.
Denver is unbeaten in its last five games, posting a 4-0-1 record in that time. The Pioneers played a home-and home series against Colorado College last weekend, which began with them rallying from two goals down to officially tie the Tigers 2-2 before winning the NCHC shootout at the end on Friday. They won 4-1 in the series finale on Saturday on home ice.
Michigan State is the new No. 1 team in the country in each poll after the Spartans and former No. 1 Michigan faced off last weekend. Michigan won in overtime at home on Friday before then-No. 2 MSU picked up a 5-2 victory in a neutral-site game in Detroit. The remaining top five in each poll stayed the same, with NCHC-foes North Dakota at No. 3 and Western Michigan at No. 4 while ECAC Quinnipiac is at No. 5 and earned first-place votes.
The NCHC leads all conferences with five teams ranked and is also first with the most in the top 10 with four. Minnesota Duluth joins DU, UND and WMU at the top in 10th while Miami reentered the poll at No. 20 after earning a home OT win last Friday against Western Michigan. St. Cloud State also earned votes in each ranking.
The Big Ten, CCHA and Hockey East all have four squads ranked in each poll.
UP NEXT: No. 8 Denver heads out on the road this weekend for its first and only series of the season against the Omaha Mavericks. Both Friday and Saturday's contests start at 6 p.m. MT and will be available on NCHC.tv.
About the USCHO.com: The Division I men's ice hockey poll is compiled weekly and consists of 50 voters, including coaches and media professionals from across the country.
About the USA Hockey/The Rink Live Poll: The 31st annual USA Hockey Men's College Hockey Poll is 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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