Big Ten Hockey Power Poll: Conference Play Begins

We're almost back to real Gopher hockey this weekend!  Lots of other Big Ten action happened (including conference games!) while the Gophs were taking a weekend off and playing the USNTDP U-18 squad.  Four teams got in on the conference action aaaaaaaaaand they all split.

#6 - Wisconsin Badgers (0-8)

The comedy continues.  The Badgers went to Colorado to face off against old WCHO foes Colorado College and Denver; and lost, as is quickly becoming tradition.  CC is a bad 3-8 team.  Denver is a decent 6-3 team.  The Badgers are a horrible 0-8 team.  They're so bad that they're the only team left in the country without a win.  They're dead-last in RPI.  Wisconsin will win a game this year, but they might not, and I like that.

#5 - Michigan State Spartans (4-7)

The Spartans went into the hockey vacuum that is the Ohio State and earned a split.  They pulled out a lucky win on Thursday, riding Jake Hildebrand all they way and capitalizing on a terrible game from OSU goaltender Matt Thompkins.  Then they came back the next night and got spanked 3-0.

#Also 5 - Ohio State Buckeyes (4-7-1)

I was going to make Michigan State #5 and Ohio State #4, but they split, and I feel that's unfair.  My reasoning was going to be that the Buckeyes scored four goals on the weekend and the Spartans only scored three, but we'll just call them equally meh this week.

#3 - Michigan Wolverines (5-6)

Michigan and Penn state split in Ann Arbor, and Michigan dropped an 8-1 decision on the Nittany Lions in the second game, but their record is still just 5-6.  That's not #2 material.  Still, they've climbed out of the bottom half of the conference, so good for them.

#2 - Penn State Nittany Lions (7-3-2)

Penn State's hold on the second position is shaky this week, I didn't really see an 8-1 blowout loss coming this weekend.  That's not a good look, Penn State.

#1 - Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-3)

Penn State had chance to legitimately vie for #1 in this poll, and that's not a good thing for my psyche.  Luckily Penn State was not up to the task, and bot P-slapped on Saturday.  I'm looking for more consistent efforts from the Gophers going forward.