Tigers moving on up to No. 14; Mbereko garners seventh weekly league goalie accolade in college

Colorado College’s five-game win streak pushed the Tigers up the national polls to No. 14, the program’s best since being vote 14^th on Nov. 26, 2012.

The 15-8-1 Tigers, currently fourth in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference standings, entered the weekend at No. 16 before pulling off two 2-1 overtime wins at then-No. 12 Western Michigan. An 11-year polls drought, dating back to Dec. 2012, ended in December 2023.

This week, six of eight NCHC teams made the USCHO.com poll, paced by league-leader and No. 2 North Dakota, No. 6 Denver, No. 15 Western Michigan and No. 16 St. Cloud State, this weekend’s home foe. Seventh-place Omaha moved up to No. 20.

CC moved up from No. 17 to No. 16 un the USA Hockey poll, just behind No. 15 SCSU.

Later on Monday, the league announced that CC sophomore Kaidan Mbereko was named as the NCHC Goalie of the Week for the seventh time in his college career after he finished last weekend with a .968 save percentage (61 of 63 shots faced), and 0.97 goals against average, which was tops among league goalies who played two games. That upped his season save percentage to a league-best .915 and lowered his season goals against average to 2.52.

CC’s five-game streak matches the Aspen native’s career best.

Tigers move up to No. 16, highest ranking since Thanksgiving 2012

This past weekend’s home sweep of last-place Miami and series splits for several teams ahead of it in the USCHO.com rankings moved Colorado College up two spots to No. 16 in Monday’s national poll.

The 13-8-1 Tigers, currently fifth in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, entered the weekend at No. 18. The No. 16 ranking is the program’s best since No. 14 on Nov. 26, 2012.

An 11-year polls drought, dating back to Dec. 2012, ended last month.

This week, the NCHC is well represented with No. 4 Denver, No. 5 North Dakota, No. 12 Western Michigan and No. 15 St. Cloud State in the poll above CC, which travels to the fourth-place Broncos (15-6-1) this weekend in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Omaha led the teams receiving votes for the equivalent of No. 21 in the poll if it extended further. Air Force picked up a single vote.

The USA Hockey poll will be announced later today.

Tigers now No. 18 in both polls after league road series split at Minnesota-Duluth

Colorado College remains in the national polls at No. 18 in the USCHO.com rankings announced Monday.

Last Monday night’s 6-2 loss at now-No. 10 Minnesota and a 1-1 weekend (overtime loss, OT win) at National Collegiate Hockey Conference foe Minnesota-Duluth affected voters’ opinion of the 11-8-1 Tigers, who fifth in the league headed into this weekend’s home series against Miami.

The Tigers were ranked 17^th by USCHO last week and at No. 18 by the USA Hockey poll, which is announced later Monday. That was CC’s best USCHO ranking since No. 14 on November 19, 2012.

CC remained at No. 18 in this week’s USA Hockey poll.

The program’s national polls drought ended in mid-December 2023 after two 3-2 overtime wins at then- No. 1 North Dakota put the Tigers in at No. 20. That ended an 11-year drought dating back to Dec. 2, 2012 (19th) under former coach Scott Owens.

With Omaha moving back up into 19^th, from receiving votes, six NCHC teams are ranked, paced by No. 5 Denver, No. 6 North Dakota, No. 11 Western Michigan and league-leading No. 13 St. Cloud State. Boston University is the new No. 1 in the USCHO poll, hopping over now-No. 2 Boston College after the Eagles split a weekend series versus No. 9 Providence.

CC moves up to No. 17/18 in latest polls

Three road wins in a row over Top-10 ranked teams pushed Colorado College up this week’s national polls with the Tigers checking in at No. 17 in the USCHO.com rankings.

CC’s national polls drought ended in mid-December after two 3-2 overtime wins at then- No. 1 North Dakota put the 10-6-1 Tigers in at No. 20. That ended an 11-year drought dating back to Dec., 2, 2012 (19th).

The 6-4 win at then-No. 9 Minnesota Sunday night further influenced voters, who submitted their ballots that night or Monday morning.

It is CC’s best USCHO ranking since No. 14 on November 19, 2012.

The USA Hockey rankings have CC ranked at No. 18.

More importantly, the wins moved CC up from 29^th in the Pairwise rankings, the mathematical formula to determine the 12-14 available at-large NCAA Tournament berths, in early December to 17^th entering Monday night’s series conclusion at now. No. 12 Minnesota.

Tigers stay at No. 20 in both national rankings

Colorado College remains in the national polls to start 2024 with the 9-6-1 Tigers remaining at No. 20 in the USCHO.com rankings by a comfortable margin over what would be No 21 Notre Dame and No 22 Omaha. CC also remained at No. 20 in the USA Hockey poll.

The Tigers garnered 88 points followed by 46 for the Irish and 28 for the Mavericks. No. 18 RIT has 137 and No. 19 Penn State, 130. CC cracked the top 20 for the first time in 11 years in mid-December.

CC plays at now-No. 10 Minnesota this Sunday and Monday (Jan. 7-8) followed by a league road trip to Minnesota Duluth Jan. 12-13. The Tigers will stay in the Twin Cities in between the two road series.

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference remains well represented with No. 4 North Dakota, No. 6 Denver, No. 11 Western Michigan, No. 14 St. Cloud State, CC and Omaha (received votes).

Colorado College Tigers ranked for first time in 11 years, enters both national polls

Sweeping then-No. 1 North Dakota in Grand Forks for the first time since Thanksgiving weekend 1993 excited the Tigers fans and apparently, some USCHO poll and USA Hockey/The Rink Live poll voters.

For the first time since Dec. 2, 2012, the 9-6-1 Tigers are ranked in the national polls, entering the rankings at No. 20, after two 3-2 overtime wins over UND last weekend.

The last time CC was ranked, it was at No. 19 in the USCHO poll when the Tigers were 8-7-1 (5-3 men’s WCHA) following a 1-1 home weekend against then-No. 7 North Dakota which included an OT loss. Those Tigers finished 18-19-5, losing in the WCHA Final Five title game to Wisconsin.

This year’s Tigers are comfortably in the USCHO poll with 96 points, ahead of Omaha and its 34 and not far behind No. 19 Penn State (105).

The last time CC was ranked in the USA Hockey poll was at No. 14 on Nov. 12, 2012. That poll only ranked the top 15 at that time.

Among the NCHC teams in the USCHO poll, North Dakota dropped from No. 1 to No. 4 while Denver slipped one spot to No. 5 after a road split at now-No. 12 Western Michigan (up one spot).

League-leading St. Cloud State is now at No. 14, moving up one spot, with CC at No. 20 and Omaha receiving votes for what would be 21^st.

Tuesday reading: Testwuide, NCHC, 3 Things, polls

It is a quiet week news-wise with most teams inactive until Dec. 24 or later depending on their schedules. CC returns to practice on Dec. 28 since the players take block finals on Wednesday and then leave for home.

Here are a few offerings.

Former Tiger Mike Testwuide, pictured, took advantage of his first pro game as a center after being a healthy scratch for six of seven games with the Adirondack Phantoms. He may get more ice time after friend Ben Holmstrom of Colorado Springs went down with a knee injury requiring surgery.

Here is an NCHC-oriented weekend review and a polls update.

Here are the USCHO weekly poll and the USA Hockey rankings and Tyler’s take on last weekend.

The WCHA media blog poll will return after the holiday tournaments and games (Dec. 27-30):

Team Pts Previous Record High Low
1) North Dakota (8) 140 2 8-5-3 1 2
2) Minnesota (4) 130 1 11-3-3 1 4
3) St. Cloud State 125 5 9-7-0 2 3
4) Nebraska Omaha 102 4 10-5-1 3 6
5) Minnesota State 96 6 9-5-2 4 6
6) Denver 90 3 9-5-2 4 7
7) Colorado College 67 7 8-8-2 6 9
8) Minnesota Duluth 62 8 5-8-3 7 9
9) Wisconsin 45 10 2-7-5 7 11
10) Bemidji State 40 11 4-8-2 8 11
11) Michigan Tech 26 9 4-8-3 9 12
12) Alaska Anchorage 13 12 3-7-4 11 12

CC falls to No. 19 in USCHO poll; stays sixth in blog rankings

A weekend home split to North Dakota hurt both Colorado College and UND with CC dropping from 17th to 19th in the weekly USCHO.com poll while UND went from No. 7 to No. 9. CC received some votes in the USA Hockey rankings.

Western Collegiate Hockey Association-leading Denver dropped one spot to sixth in both polls.

North Dakota dropped to No. 9 in both rankings released on Monday.

Nebraska-Omaha is 14^th in both ratings. St. Cloud State fell to No. 17 and Colorado College dropped one spot to No. 19 according to the 50 USCHO voters. Both received some points from USA Hockey’s 34 voters.

Here is this week’s WCHA media blog poll:

	Team	Pts	Previous	Record	High	Low
1)	Denver (9)	139	1	9-4-1	1	3
2)	Minnesota (2)	131	2	10-3-2	1	3
3)	North Dakota	113	3	7-5-2	2	6
4)	Nebraska Omaha (1)	111	5	9-4-1	1	5
5)	St. Cloud State	102	4	8-6-0	3	6
6)	Colorado College	87	6	8-7-1	5	7
7)	Minnesota State	65	8	7-5-2	6	11
8)	Minnesota Duluth	51	10	4-7-3	8	10
9)	Michigan Tech	48	7	4-7-1	7	10
10)	Wisconsin	46	11	2-7-3	7	11
11)	Bemidji State	25	9	3-7-2	8	12
12)	Alaska Anchorage	18	12	3-5-4	10	12

Saturday reading: Alabama-Huntsville, North Dakota, Miami, All-American Prospects Game, schedule, Denver, Irish, ECAC

Here is a short profile on the new Alabama-Huntsville coach.

The North Dakota season preview supplement can be viewed here.

Miami senior defenseman Steven Spinell is also featured.

Remember – you can watch the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game tonight at 7 p.m. ET live, for free, on http://FastHockey.com

The College Hockey News recaps the offseason.

Three nonconference games open the season on Oct. 6 with most programs playing exhibition games. The first exhibition contest is Friday with Regina at Alaska-Fairbanks.

Due to Wednesday’s first presidential debate, the Pioneers will practice off campus until Oct. 8.

Notre Dame adds a commit from a goalie.

Here are both ECAC preseason polls. New Hampshire signed a 6-foot-5 goalie.

Monday reading: Polls, Pairwise, radio info

Here’s the latest Pairwise rankings after CC moved up to No. 18 in the USCHO.com poll, where the Tigers moved up to No. 18. CC remains unranked by USA Hockey Magazine.
The Coach Scott Owens Radio Show will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at McCabe’s Tavern, 520 S. Tejon, downtown Colorado Springs, and live on 103.9 FM KRXP.
The pregame radio shows on 103.9 FM KRXP will start earlier for the playoffs this weekend, 7 p.m. on Friday and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (if necessary).