Badgers Hold Off RedHawks Atop USCHO.com/CSTV Poll

The Wisconsin Badgers finally lost a game last weekend, but not their grip on the top spot in Monday’s USCHO.com/CSTV Networks Division I men’s poll.

Wisconsin, which split a series with Michigan Tech to end a 14-game unbeaten streak, earned 24 first-place votes to keep the nation’s No. 1 ranking, just ahead of No. 2 Miami. The RedHawks, who were atop 14 ballots, tied St. Lawrence before topping Clarkson.

Vermont held steady at No. 3 but picked up the remaining two first-place votes; the Catamounts beat the U.S. Under-18 team Saturday. Back up to fourth place was Minnesota, which surged four spots on the strength of a sweep at North Dakota, and Boston College nosed back into the top five after sweeping Massachusetts.

No. 6 was Michigan, which took a pair of wins against Nebraska-Omaha. The Wolverines were trailed by seventh-place Colorado College, which dropped three slots in the wake of a split with Minnesota-Duluth. Idle Cornell was No. 8.

Coming in ninth was Maine, which beat Brown on Wednesday and then Northeastern Saturday, and UND finished up the top 10, down five spots from last week’s poll.

Positions 11 through 15 were owned by Colgate, New Hampshire, Denver, Harvard and St. Lawrence.

Clarkson was No. 16, followed by Providence and then Lake Superior State, which took three points from Bemidji State to debut at No. 18. BSU, meanwhile, dropped down to No. 19.

Completing the poll was Boston University. Previously-ranked Nebraska-Omaha fell out after this week’s balloting.