NCAA Men’s Power Rankings: Western Michigan, Michigan battle highlights non-conference play
As the month of November nears, the antici….pation for weekly marquee matchups grows around college hockey.
Fans were treated to a doozy last week, when former conference rivals, Western Michigan and Michigan, locked horns in their annual home-and-home, with many still wondering who the better team is heading into the final week of October.
On top of that, we saw upsets, standout performances and overall thrilling action last weekend, leading to some movement in this week’s Power Rankings.
Check out my Top 15 after Week 3 of action:
1. Michigan State
Record: 5-1-0
Last Week: 1st
While the other two Michigan teams fought, the Spartans had a relatively easy weekend against another foe from the Mitten in Northern Michigan. Michigan State took care of its former CCHA rivals in convincing fashion, sweeping the Wildcats by a combined score of 10-2. Tommi Männistö had himself a weekend, posting five points, including two goals and two assists in Saturday’s 6-2 victory. Along with Tiernan Shoudy putting up four points in game two, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Porter Martone had two goals and an assist in Marquette.
The Spartans are off this week before hopping into Big Ten action next weekend with a couple of tough games against Penn State.
2. Western Michigan
Record: 4-2-0
Last Week: 2nd
It’s hard to say whether the defending national champions could’ve played better against the Wolverines. They had plenty of chances to score in the first game at Yost last Thursday, but the bounces didn’t go their way in a 4-0 loss. In front of the Lawson Lunatics, Western Michigan’s offense sprang to life, with Grant Slukynsky’s three-point night helping his team to a 5-2 win. Zack Sharp (San Jose Sharks) and Ty Henricks (New York Rangers) both had multi-point games last Friday as well. Los Angeles Kings prospect Hampton Slukynsky lost the goaltending battle in the first game of the series, but bounced back with a solid 30-save outing on Friday.
The Broncos get set to begin their NCHC schedule this weekend, as they visit a pesky St. Cloud State team.
3. Michigan
Record: 7-1-0
Last Week: 6th
I think it’s officially time to buy into the maize and blue. Sure, the team’s sweep of Providence earlier this season was respectable, but how they played against WMU really proved that this year’s team is far beyond what many of us predicted to see. Montreal Canadiens draft pick Michael Hage powered the team’s win in Ann Arbor last Thursday, while Nashville Predators prospect Jack Ivankovic did everything he could to give the Wolverines a chance to sweep the Broncos. Hage ended up with three points in the two games, while Jayden Perron (Carolina Hurricanes) had a goal and an assist against WMU.
The Wolverines are on the road to begin their Big Ten schedule, as they face Notre Dame twice in South Bend.
4. Boston University
Record: 3-3-1
Last Week: 3rd
To say I was disappointed with how the Terriers unraveled in last Friday’s game against Connecticut at Agganis would be an understatement. Allegedly, that’s a tough barn to play in. However, the way the Huskies were able to take over in the second half of that game, with BU seemingly having no answer to stop them…it left me with a lot of questions about the team’s character. Boston University managed to salvage a split with a win in Storrs on Saturday, but this team needs to show me they can be more consistent, especially in conference play.
Flyers prospect Owen McLaughlin led the Terriers with three goals and four points on the weekend. The Terriers head north for a pivotal weekend series on the road against Maine.
5. Penn State
Record: 7-1-0
Last Week: 4th
While Penn State extended its win streak to five games at home this past weekend, are we going to talk about how bad the team looked against…Stonehill…on home ice?!
I understand that sometimes it’s difficult to get up for games against an inferior opponent, but the Nittany Lions had to rally from a 2-1 deficit in the third period last Friday to simply win. You can hardly say Penn State outplayed the SkyHawks, as Ottawa Senators draft pick Kevin Reidler had to be sharp on Saturday to keep PSU out in front. 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna kind of saved his team’s bacon, scoring a goal and an assist in both games, with J.J. Wiebusch scoring twice in the two wins.
The Nittany Lions have a true chance to prove themselves this weekend, as they get set to face Ohio State to begin Big Ten play.
6. Boston College
Record: 2-2-1
Last Week: 5th
The Eagles had just one game last week, and boy, did they have some bad luck. In a rematch from the last two NCAA Tournaments with Denver, Boston College controlled the game for long periods of time, but struggled to put the puck in the back of the net and keep it out of theirs. While Boston Bruins prospects James Hagens and Andre Gasseau each scored, it was far from enough as the Eagles lost 7-3. I know there’s another level to this Boston College team, but it’s more about finding it against the upper echelon of the NCAA.
BC has a pair of tough games this weekend, as the team opens up its HEA schedule against a Northeastern team that has a lot of confidence after beating DU this past Saturday.
7. Quinnipiac
Record: 5-2-1
Last Week: 7th
It wasn’t the most flourishing weekend for the Bobcats. The team struggled to find its footing against Merrimack on Friday night, resulting in a 4-1 loss. However, Quinnipiac responded with a road win over New Hampshire on Saturday, with goaltender Dylan Silverstein pitching his first shutout of the season in a 2-0 victory. The Bobcats just didn’t play like they had in the two previous games, with the team having to fine-tune its execution in preparation for their ECAC schedule.
The Bobcats are off this weekend and won’t play until Nov. 4, when they host Alaska.
8. Maine
Record: 3-2-1
Last Week: 8th
Maine had a couple of very tough contests with Colgate at home this past weekend. There was no question that the Black Bears looked like a better team, but they simply struggled to finish against the Raiders. Granted, that seemed to be fine and dandy for the reigning Hockey East champions. Even though they lost 3-2 in regulation on Friday, Maine responded with a 3-2 victory of their own the next night, with Max Scott playing the hero. Hurricanes draft pick Justin Poirier scored in both games for the Black Bears.
The Black Bears will look to use home ice to their advantage this weekend, as Boston University is coming to Orono.
9. North Dakota
Record: 4-2-0
Last Week: 11th
The Fighting Hawks had a tough challenge on the road, going up against Clarkson last weekend. Whether it be jet lag or whatnot, North Dakota fell a little flat in the first game last Friday, giving up four unanswered goals on its way to a 5-2 loss. The team certainly played much better in the second game, but only got a goal from 2026 draft prospect Keaton Verhoeff, his third of the season, to snag a 1-0 win.
I was willing to move the Fighting Hawks up a little, thanks to a solid bounce-back performance (and given how other teams played last week). North Dakota gets set for its first slate of NCHC action this weekend, as the team plays host to Minnesota Duluth for a pair of games.
10. Connecticut
Record: 3-3-0
Last Week: 12th
Say what you want about losing at home to the Terriers on Saturday, but UConn really impressed me with how they were able to pin the Terriers back on their heels for much of the final two periods, on the road, last Friday night. Ethan Gardula and Carlin Dezainde each had a pair of goals in the 8-4 victory at Agganis, giving the Huskies their first statement win of the season. Like the rest of Hockey East, finding a way to complete a sweep isn’t easy, but the Huskies will be hanging near the top of the conference with more outcomes like that.
UConn is home again this weekend, hosting Harvard on Friday before HEA foe Merrimack comes to town on Saturday.
11. Denver
Record: 3-2-1
Last Week: 9th
I understand that DU picked up a solid win over Boston College, but for one, they didn’t play like they were the better team in that game. Two, they followed that up by getting shut out against Northeastern. For a team with all of these NHL draft picks, you’d expect them to score at least once, regardless of whether it’s the second half of a back-to-back. Granted, the season is still young, and Denver still has plenty of time to turn things around, but the early returns aren’t the most positive from the Mile High City.
The Pioneers have a great chance to get a couple of wins at home this weekend, as they play host to Alaska Anchorage.
12. Minnesota Duluth
Record: 7-1-0
Last Week: NR
Hey now, here come the Bulldogs!
A program that has been in the rebuilding stage for the past few years is quietly showing that it could be a contender in the NCHC. After some expected wins over the likes of Augustana and Bemidji State, Duluth went to Minneapolis and made Minnesota look average. They outchanced and outplayed the Golden Gophers for much of the weekend set, leading to a series sweep by a combined score of 7-1. Detroit Red Wings prospect Max Plante scored twice in the win on Friday, while his brother, and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect, Zam, notched two points over the two games.
The Bulldogs have another tough challenge on the horizon, as the team heads to Grand Forks for a pair of games against North Dakota.
13. Wisconsin
Record: 4-0-2
Last Week: NR
I might be getting a little ahead of myself, but I like what the Badgers have been doing thus far. Outside of a couple of ties against Minnesota State, Wisconsin has looked like a team that could cause a stir in the Big Ten if it can get rolling. Last weekend, they took care of Alaska, sweeping the Nanooks by a combined score of 9-4. New York Islanders prospect Quinn Finley had three points on the weekend, as did Ryan Botterill.
The Badgers have a chance to make their presence further known this weekend, as they get set to host a beaten and battered Minnesota team, the final weekend of their six-game homestand.
14. Ohio State
Record: 4-2-0
Last Week: 14th
I was a little bit concerned about how the Buckeyes lost to Sacred Heart on home ice last Friday. Sure, coming off a couple of tough games against Connecticut can lead to a drop-off, but blowing a lead to an Atlantic Hockey America team is concerning. The Pioneers never seemed to be fazed by Ohio State either, keeping things tight throughout the weekend. OSU bounced back to win 3-0 on Saturday, with the belief that the team still has room to grow.
The Buckeyes now get a chance to grab a statement win or two on home ice, as Penn State arrives in Columbus this weekend.
15. Massachusetts
Record: 5-2-0
Last Week: 15th
I’m going to keep the Minutemen here until I’m convinced that they’re good enough to move them up, or sour enough to drop them out of my Top 15. The problem has been they have shown they can be a very good team, but then also have a down game that makes them look like a mushy-middle team in Hockey East. UMass managed to open its weekend set at Omaha with a 5-4 win on Friday night, but a couple of goals given up in the third on Saturday led to a 5-2 loss. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Vaclav Nestrašil continues to be a consistent scoring threat, potting a goal and an assist on Saturday, while Red Wings draft pick Owen Mehlenbacher scored his first goal of the season in game one of the weekend.
The Minutemen will have a tough test this weekend, as Cornell, which has yet to play a game this season, comes to Amherst for a pair of games.
Honorable Mentions: Providence (2-2-1), Colorado College (5-1-0), Minnesota State (3-1-2)