Hockey East Power Rankings - 11/9/09

By Chris Aliano

1.  UMass-Lowell (5-2-1, 3-1-0 HEA - LAST WEEK: 1) – Another week sitting pretty at the top.  The River Hawks ascend to No. 5 in the national polls, ten higher than the next-best team in Hockey East (Vermont at No. 15).  UML battled the Catamounts to a 3-3 draw in Burlington, surrendering the tying goal with 11 minutes to play in regulation.  Still, Lowell bounced back on Sunday with a 6-3 beating of UNH.  The game was tied heading into the third before the River Hawks registered three unanswered.  Both Carter Hutton and Nevin Hamilton were solid between the pipes, and Hockey East Co-Player of the Week Nick Schaus had three points on the weekend.  UML heads south for a rare nonconference doubleheader against Alabama-Huntsville.

2. UMass (6-1-0, 3-1-0 HE - LAST WEEK: 2) – They bounced back from their first loss of the season against Providence with a pair of convincing wins against lowly Atlantic Hockey foe Niagara.  The offense continues to play at a ridiculous pace, and Paul Dainton has been a rock in net.  Next up is a visit from UNH for a pair of games.


3. BC (3-2-1, 2-2-1 HEA - LAST WEEK: 5) – It was a tale of two games for the Eagles this weekend.  After blowing a three-goal lead after being up 4-1 entering the third period on the road against UNH and settling for the draw, BC bounced back with a 5-1 trouncing of Northeastern.  Let's not forget the four-goal drubbing came a night after Northeastern's freshman goalie Chris Rawlings stood on his head in a 43-save shutout.  Defenseman Carl Sneep notched two goals in the draw, while Hockey East Co-Player of the Week Ben Gibbons had multiple points on both nights.  Heading to Chestnut Hill this weekend is Vermont: the Catamounts drubbed BC 4-1 in both teams' season-openers.  You think the Eagles have forgotten?  Hm...

4. Vermont (3-3-1, 2-2-1 HEA - LAST WEEK: 7) – They played tough at home against No. 5 UMass-Lowell, and picked up their first 'W' in what has seemed like forever by blanking Providence 3-0.  Mike Spillane made 33 saves against the Friars, and the Catamounts made a step toward finding their identity after it went missing for a few weeks.  They play best from the back, generating most of their offense from the points.  They were able to do that on Sunday, and will have to keep doing that should they want to survive a doubleheader at Boston College this weekend. 

5. Providence (5-3-0, 1-2-0 HEA - LAST WEEK: 4) – Vermont burst their bubble on Sunday, as the Friars were unable to get on the board in a game for the second time this season.  While they played well outside of the conference early on, Providence will have to do better within the conference.  Everyone in Hockey East knows how significant home-ice advantage is for the playoffs, and that should be one of their early season goals.  The Friars are off until next Tuesday, when they will face off with Brown.

6. Merrimack (5-3-0, 2-1-0 HEA - LAST WEEK: 6) – An idle weekend gives the Warriors time to reflect on what they've done right and work on what needs improvement after more than pleasant start to the season.  On offense, they've scored over four goals per game within the conference.  They'll have to play better around Joe Cannata, their goaltender, if they plan on making any kind of postseason run.  With a home-and-home on against No. 17 Boston University on the slate, Merrimack has a chance to use the flopping Terriers as its springboard onto the national stage.

7. UNH (2-5-2, 2-1-1 - LAST WEEK: 8) – The Wildcats showed some fight in coming back from a three-goal deficit to tie Boston College 4-4 at home.  They showed that same poise in matching UMass-Lowell goal for goal through the first two periods on Sunday, but could not keep up in the third as they went on to fall 6-3 to the River Hawks.  It was a big improvement from the ugly weekend at Wisconsin from a week ago.  So yes, UNH moves up a spot, but they're still a mystery.  They go on scoring droughts and then suddenly snap out of it.  UNH next heads to Amherst for two games against the equally explosive offense of the UMass Minutemen.

T8. Northeastern (3-4-0, 1-3-0 HEA - LAST WEEK: 10) – Chris Rawlings was the story Friday night, shutting out Boston University at home while making 43 saves (FORTY THREE, YIKES) against the offensively inept Terriers.  The celebration lasted just a night, however, before Rawlings looked as vulnerable as he did throughout the rest of the season in a 5-1 loss to Boston College.  No one's sold on you yet, Northeastern.  Show me more against Maine this weekend, and we can talk.

T8. Boston University (2-5-0, 1-3-0 HEA - LAST WEEK: 3) – "Baby are you down, down, down, down, DOWN?"  Well Jay Sean, remember last week when I said they could be ranked MUCH LOWER?  Well here you have it.  Terriers unable to finish in front of the net--unable to even FIND the net on Friday against Northeastern--and voila: their first three-game losing streak in nearly two years.  They look lost without Nick Bonino, and the sophomore trio of forwards have been disappointing as a unit.  Another sweep against Merrimack this weekend and the Terrier Faithful should probably call it quits.  

T8. Maine (3-5-0, 2-2-0 HEA - LAST WEEK: 9) – The Black Bears are again at the bottom of the list, but that's not saying they're the worst team.  Technically they're tied for eighth with BU and Northeastern, and the Black Bears should be higher because they just beat BU.  But these three teams, the way they've played early on, are way behind the next-best team (UNH).  There's no doubt in my mind that BU and Northeastern would (and NU already has) be drubbed by UNH.  Still, Gustav Nyquist and Scott Darling have a limitless ceiling and a ton of potential.  They're as dangerous as any other team in the conference, and they proved that against the Terriers on Sunday.  In this weekend's edition of the Toilet Bowl, the Black Bears travel to Boston to take on fellow cellar-dweller Northeastern.