SB Nation’s Women’s College Hockey Division I Poll: The final countdown

It’s the last week of the regular season, and there is still a lot of intrigue

Three more leagues got wrapped up in recent days, but there is still plenty of intrigue for both conference seeding and NCAA tournament seeding.

In the last full weekend before most conference tournaments start we have a large amount of top-10 matchups, which should be entertaining.

1. Wisconsin (27-2-2), (13) 130 — Last Week: 1

• Last Week: T 1-1 OT (SOW 3-2) v Minnesota Duluth (Feb. 11), W 8-0 v Minnesota Duluth (Feb. 12)

• Coming Week: @ Minnesota (Feb. 18, Feb. 19)

The Badgers offense has to be kicking themselves for only being able to put up one goal in the first game with the output they had in the second game. But it was enough to earn the top spot in the WCHA. They now head to their longtime rivals in Minneapolis to wrap up the regular season.

2. Minnesota-Duluth (20-5-5), 109 — Last Week: 2

• Last Week: T 1-1 OT (SOL 2-3) @ Wisconsin (Feb. 11), L 0-8 @ Wisconsin (Feb. 12)

• Coming Week: v St. Cloud State (Feb. 17, Feb. 18)

The Bulldogs were riding high off of their tie at Wisconsin — some people were talking about ranking them in the top spot — until the next day, when a total of eight goals was dropped on their heads, dampening their home ice aspirations for the NCAA. A sweep of St. Cloud State would go a long way towards easing those tensions; Lara Stalder’s return from Olympic qualification games should do a lot to help.

T-3. Clarkson (23-4-5), 99 — Last Week: 5

• Last Week: W 3-1 v Princeton (Feb. 10), W 1-0 v Quinnipiac (Feb. 11)

• Coming Week: @ Colgate (Feb. 17), @ Cornell (Feb. 18)

The Golden Knights claimed their third conference title in four years by sweeping (while St. Lawrence managed to only get a single point), which gives them the honor of being the Belles of the Ball this week. They will wrap up the regular season traveling to the three and four teams in conference, which will play a large role in determining who they are likely to play in the semifinals.

T-3. Minnesota (23-5-3), 99 — Last Week: 3

• Last Week: W 4-2 v North Dakota (Feb. 10), W 6-2 v North Dakota (Feb. 11)

• Coming Week: v Wisconsin (Feb. 18, Feb. 19)

The Gophers did what they needed to do this weekend, dominating North Dakota. They now host Wisconsin as they try to salvage home ice in the NCAAs.

5. St. Lawrence (23-4-3), 74 — Last week: 4

• Last Week: T 1-1 OT v Quinnipiac (Feb. 10), L 2-4 v Princeton (Feb. 11)

• Coming Week: @ Cornell (Feb. 17), @ Colgate (Feb. 18)

This weekend was a disaster for the Saints. The losses hurt them, both in the ECAC and in the PWR rankings. They now travel to a Cornell team who is only two points behind them in the standings.

6. Boston College (22-4-5), 67 — Last Week: 6

• Last Week: W 2-1 @ Northeastern (Feb. 7), L 1-2 v Northeastern (Feb. 10), W 7-1 v Vermont (Feb. 12)

• Coming Week: v Providence (Feb. 18), @ Providence (Feb. 19)

Another week, another trophy. The Eagles outlasted the Huskies in the Beanpot Championship before falling to them on home ice in the same score; poor Vermont caught the brunt of their rage as they dropped seven goals on them Sunday. While this weekend’s games mean nothing to the Eagles in Hockey East play, they have major considerations for the rest of the conference and their national rankings.

7. Cornell (17-6-4), 33 — Last Week: 7

• Last Week: T 2-2 @ Yale (Feb. 10), W 5-1 @ Brown (Feb. 11)

• Coming Week: v St. Lawrence (Feb. 17), v Clarkson (Feb. 18)

The Ivy League Champions had a miscue when they tied Yale; they would like that point back in catching St. Lawrence. This weekend they get to host the top of the conference in a sink-or-swim weekend.

8. Quinnipiac (18-6-6), 28 — Last Week: 8

• Last Week: T 1-1 OT @ St. Lawrence (Feb. 10), L 0-1 @ Clarkson (Feb. 11)

• Coming Week: v RPI (Feb. 17), v Union (Feb. 18)

It might be a little too little too late for the Bobcats as they stole a point from the Saints and nearly had the Golden Knights. It looks like they will be traveling for the ECAC quarterfinals, though, unless they get help.

T-9. Colgate (22-7-3), 21 — Last Week: 9

• Last Week: W 7-3 @ Brown (Feb. 10), W 3-1 @ Yale (Feb. 11)

• Coming Week: v Clarkson (Feb. 17), v St. Lawrence (Feb. 18)

They also took care of business and are sitting pretty in a home ice spot for the ECAC quarterfinals. Like Cornell, they host the top of the conference this weekend, and it will let us see if they have potential to make a run to St. Louis.

T-9. Robert Morris (19-3-6), 21 — Last Week: T-10

• Last Week: W 4-1 v RIT (Feb. 10), W 5-2 v RIT (Feb. 11)

• Coming Week: v Penn State (Feb. 17, Feb. 18)

The CHA is the only undecided conference left, but the Colonials have a four-point lead with four games to go.

Also Receiving Votes: Princeton 16, Northeastern 12, Boston University 3, North Dakota 3

Dropped Out: None