W. Hockey Improves In Polls, Exposure

Despite being mired in exam period this week, the Harvard women’s hockey team still gained significant ground in its bid to be the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Frozen Four.

Following No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth and No. 3 Minnesota’s defeats at the hands of lower-ranked opponents this past weekend, idle Harvard was rewarded with its best showing yet in the national polls. The Crimson received all 12 first-place votes in USA Today/American Hockey Magazine poll and all but one of 15 first-place votes in Monday’s USCHO.com poll.

Harvard posted an even more significant gain in the USCHO.com Pairwise Rankings where it took over the No. 1 spot for the first time all season. Because the Pairwise Rankings attempt to mimic the NCAA’s selection and seeding criteria, the rise suggests that the Crimson is back in control of its own destiny of earning the top seed.

The polls weren’t the only media outlets giving the Crimson recognition this week. The team was profiled in a short feature segment on NESN on Saturday during the Bruins pregame show.

If the Crimson continues to win at its current pace—its next game at Boston College is on Jan. 28—Saturday will be only the first in a string of television appearances. The ECAC championship at Brown will be televised live on NESN at noon on March 16. The NCAA semifinals and championship at Duluth will be televised live on regional television networks as well.

In men’s hockey, Harvard maintained its No. 13 ranking in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/American Hockey Magazine polls. Boston University—the Crimson’s semifinal opponent in the upcoming Beanpot—dropped behind Harvard to the No. 14 spot and Maine maintained the top spot.

The Crimson’s next game is Jan. 31 against Brown at the Bright Center. Unlike most recent years, Harvard will not have to suffer the disadvantage of playing two games in the three days prior to the Beanpot. The Harvard-BU Beanpot semifinal will be televised live on NESN on Feb. 3 at 5 p.m.

—Staff writer David R. De Remer can be reached at remer@fas.harvard.edu.

USCHO.com Division One Men’s Poll

Team Record Pts Last Week

1. Maine (19) 19-2-3 575 1

2. North Dakota (20) 21-2-3 562 3

3. Colorado College (1) 17-2-5 511 2

4. Cornell 14-3-0 475 4

5. New Hampshire 16-4-3 449 5

6. Boston College 14-5-3 372 8

7. Minnesota 12-6-5 354 6

8. Ohio State 17-4-2 344 9

9. Michigan 15-6-1 255 10

10. Ferris State 17-6-1 219 11

11. Denver 15-7-4 210 7

12. St. Cloud State 11-8-3 149 14

13. Harvard 12-6-1 126 13

14. Boston University 13-9-2 112 12

15. MSU-Mankato 10-7-7 37 —

USCHO.com Division One Women’s Poll

Team Record Pts Last Week

1. Harvard 14-1-0 149 1

2. Minnesota-Duluth 18-2-2 136 2

3. Minnesota 18-3-1 115 3

4. Dartmouth 12-5-0 109 4

5. New Hampshire 19-4-1 80 5

6. Wisconsin 12-5-4 78 7

7. St. Lawrence 12-6-3 63 6

8. Princeton 11-5-2 42 8

9. Mercyhurst 19-5-1 26 10

10. Providence 11-5-6 22 9