NEHJ College Hockey Power Rankings

RANK

TEAM

LAST WEEK

RECORD

COMMENTS

 1

Quinnipiac

Overall: 24-5-5

ECAC: 7-2-3

Quinnipiac was the first team since ECAC Hockey adopted the current point system to win the league by double-digit points. The Bobcats do not have a strong history against their quarterfinal-round opponent, Cornell. Quinnipiac is 7-13-2 all-time against the Big Red, with five of its seven wins in the series coming at Lynah Rink.

 2

UMass-Lowell

Overall: 23-10-2

HEA: 16-9-2

 Freshman goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 55 saves on 59 Providence shots last weekend, including all but 33 of the Friars’ attempts in Saturday’s title-clinching victory.

 3

 Providence

Overall: 15-12-7

HEA: 13-8-6

Jon Gillies (South Portland, Maine) picked up the fifth shutout of his freshman season in last Friday’s 3-0 win over UMass-Lowell, which helped the Friars finish in the top 4 in Hockey East.

 4

New Hampshire

Overall: 18-9-7

HEA: 13-8-6

There’s only one team in Hockey East that the Wildcats didn’t beat at least once this year: Providence, their first-round opponent.

 5

 Boston  College

Overall: 20-10-4

HEA: 15-9-3

Johnny Gaudreau’s sophomore year hasn’t quite matched his incredible debut, but he ended the regular season portion with a bang, scoring three goals and four assists in the final weekend, and two goals and four assists on the final day – a 7-2 win over Vermont.

6

 
Yale

Overall: 16-10-3

ECAC: 12-9-1

Yale took the season series against its quarterfinal opponent St. Lawrence by sweeping 4-2 and 5-3 decisions in November and January. The Bulldogs have played 77 ECAC playoff contests since 1967 and are 25-47-5 overall.

 7

Boston University

Overall: 18-15-2

HEA: 15-10-2

Coach Jack Parker’s (Somerville, Mass.) retirement announcement dominated the news in New England college hockey, and while he said the timing had nothing to do with inspiring his troops for the quarterfinal series against Merrimack, it does give the Terriers a little extra incentive: finishing his 40th and final season on the right note.

8

Holy Cross

Overall: 19-12-3

AHA: 15-9-3

Senior forwards Kyle Fletcher at 10-16-26 and Rob Linsmayer at 7-19-26 lead a balanced Crusader attack into a quarterfinal series at home against Mercyhurst. Holy Cross won a 2-1 game at Mercyhurst on Jan. 11 and lost the rematch the next night, 4-2.

 9

  Merrimack

Overall: 15-15-6

HEA: 13-11-3

The Warriors, who lost all three games in the season series against BU, hit the quarterfinals against the Terriers with just one win in their last seven games.

 10

Dartmouth

Overall: 15-12-5

ECAC: 9-9-4

The Big Green had played every other ECAC Hockey program at least one time in the postseason with the lone exception being Union prior to this season. The Big Green are just 3-7-3 in road games this season with two wins coming at Brown. One of the three ties did come at Messa Rink, however.

 11

UConn

Overall: 17-13-4

AHA: 14-10-3

The Huskies host Robert Morris this weekend and are 1-5-0 against the Colonials. The win came this year at Robert Morris, 3-2, on Jan 11. UConn fell the next night, 4-3. Senior goalie Matt Grogan has a .941 save percentage and 1.86 goals against average to go with his 12-3-3 record.

 12

Brown

Overall: 13-12-6

ECAC: 7-9-6

Brown goalie Anthony Borelli helped lead Brown to a series sweep over Clarkson, recording 65 saves on 68 shots in two games, as the Bears recorded their first weekend sweep of the season and first since February 25-26, 2011. The series win also helped Brown advance to the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals for the first time since 2010.

 13

Vermont

Overall: 11-17-6

HEA: 8-13-6

Freshman Brody Hoffman’s debut season has already earned him a spot in the record books, with some pretty good company: The last UVM goalie to play every regular-season game was Tim Thomas in 1996-97.

 14

AIC

Overall: 12-17-6

AHA: 9-12-6

The Yellow Jackets lost a pair of games at RIT. Adam Pleskach ended his career at 59-56-115, leaving him one behind the school record in assists and two back in goals and points. Goalie Ben Meisner finished with an Atlantic Hockey record 3,684 saves, 12^th on the NCAA Division I career list.

 15

Maine

Overall: 11-18-8

HEA: 7-12-8

He wasn’t able to stop enough UMass-Lowell shots for the win Thursday, but Martin Ouellette’s 32-save effort marked his fourth straight game with 30-plus saves, and his 11th of the season.

 16

 Bentley   

Overall: 12-20-3

AHA: 10-14-3

The Falcons completed a tough end to the season with a pair of losses at Canisius. They were 0-5-2 in their last seven games. Bentley’s top eight scorers, led by junior Brett Gensler (16-24-40), seven defensemen and three goaltenders are all eligible to return next season.

 17

 UMass

Overall: 11-18-3

HEA: 8-15-2

The Minutemen missed the Hockey East playoffs for the fourth time since joining the league in 1994, and the first time since 2002.

 18

Harvard

Overall: 10-19-3

ECAC: 6-14-2

Crimson goalie Raphael Girard struggled in the series against Dartmouth, eventually getting the hook after allowing three second-period goals in the decisive Game 3 – a 6-3 Dartmouth victory.

 19

Northeastern

Overall: 9-21-4

HEA: 5-18-4

Kevin Roy (17-17—34) became the second freshman to lead Northeastern in scoring in as many years, following Ludwig Karlsson last season.

 20

Sacred Heart

Overall: 2-30-4

AHA: 2-21-4

The Pioneers closed out with a pair of loses, 4-1 and 6-1, at Robert Morris. Senior Eric Delong scored the Friday night goal and finished his career at 46-72-118 in 143 games. He led the team this year at 13-19-32. Sophomore Brian Sheehan was next at 11-17-28 and is at 21-29-50 through two seasons.