SB Nation’s Women’s College Hockey Division I Poll: It’s all on the line

There is no room for error left as teams try to keep hope alive of either hosting in the NCAAs or even just making it.

And that’s the end of the regular season for most of the country. Even with the conference tournament fields set, there is plenty of intrigue left.

1. Wisconsin (27-2-4), (13) 139 — Last Week: 1

• Last Week: T 1-1 OT (SOW 2-1) @ Minnesota (2/18), @ T 0-0 OT (SOL 0-1) Minnesota (2/19)

• Coming Week: v Minnesota State (2/24-2/26)

Wisconsin ran the regular season wire-to-wire in first place and their Patty Kazmaier favorite goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens held a potent Minnesota team to only one goal.  They drew the last place Mavericks for their quarterfinals matchup which they should breeze through.

2. Minnesota-Duluth (22-5-5), (1) 116— Last Week: 2

• Last Week: W 2-1 v St. Cloud State (2/17), W 4-1 v St. Cloud State (2/18)

• Coming Week: v St. Cloud State (2/23-2/25)

After sweeping the Huskies, the Bulldogs drew them right back in the quarterfinals after St. Cloud State edged Bemidji for sixth place.

T-3. Clarkson (25-4-5), 108 — Last Week: 4

• Last Week: W 5-2 @ Colgate (2/17), W 5-4 OT @ Cornell (2/18)

• Coming Week: v RPI (2/24-2/26)

The Golden Knights are the ECAC champions again and are playing host to an Engineers squad that just barely made the ECAC tournament over Harvard.

T-3. Minnesota (23-5-5), 108— Last Week: 3

• Last Week: T 1-1 OT (SOL 1-2) v Wisconsin (2/18), T 0-0 (SOW 1-0) v Wisconsin (2/19)

• Coming Week: v Bemidji State (2/24-2/26)

The Gophers did enough to hold on to second place and now play host to Bemidji State, a team that upset them earlier in the season.

5. St. Lawrence (24-4-4), 83 — Last week: 4

• Last Week: T 2-2 OT @ Cornell (2/17), W 3-0 @ Colgate (2/18)

• Coming Week: v Yale (2/24-2/26)

The Saints have been struggling as of late only winning one game in the last two weeks, getting revenge on a Colgate team that shocked them last month. They did enough to earn the two seed in the ECAC and will play a Yale team that has been streaky this season.

6. Boston College (23-5-5), 69 — Last Week: 6

• Last Week: L 1-4 v Providence (2/18), W 3-1 @ Providence (2/19)

• Coming Week: v Merrimack (2/23-2/25)

Boston College, like St. Lawrence, has been struggling dropping a game in the last two weekends and now has to get a lot of help nationally if they hope to host in the NCAAs. Up first in the Hockey East tournament is a Merrimack team that is making their postseason debut in their second season in Division I.

7. Cornell (17-7-5), 47— Last Week: 7

• Last Week: T 2-2 v St. Lawrence (2/17), L 4-5 OT v Clarkson (2/18)

• Coming Week:  v Colgate (2/24-2/26)

The Ivy League champions struggled to start the season, but have come on strong and now are hosting their travel partner in their quarterfinals.

8. Quinnipiac (20-6-6), 32 — Last Week: 8

• Last Week: W 5-0 v RPI (2/17), W 1-0 v Union (2/18)

• Coming Week: @ Princeton (2/24-2/26)

Due to being swept by Princeton, the Bobcats will be traveling to New Jersey for their quarterfinal matchup.

9. Princeton (18-8-3), 29  — Last Week: ARV

• Last Week: W 4-1 v Union (2/17), W 4-2 v RPI (2/18)

• Coming Week: v Quinnipiac (2/24-2/26)

The Tigers rejoined the land of the ranked once again as a weekend sweep over the bottom of the ECAC gave them home ice in the quarterfinals and the title of Belles of the Ball for this week. They now draw a Quinnipiac team that is their travel partner, is intimately familiar with them, and ranked higher in almost all national metrics.

10. Colgate (22-9-3),  — Last Week: 10

• Last Week: L 2-5 v Clarkson (2/17), L 0-3 v St. Lawrence (2/18)

• Coming Week: @ Cornell (2/24-2/26)

Colgate had a bit of a rough mid-season, which cost them a chance to host, and now has to travel to Cornell.

Also Receiving Votes: Robert Morris 11, Northeastern 7, Boston University 7, North Dakota 1