BC Interruption Hockey East Power Poll, October 20: Lowell & BC On Top

We aren't going to do a Hockey East power poll every week, because one week's worth of games (usually 1-2 games tops) is not really enough information to start fluctuating rankings of hockey teams. Of course, two weeks of real games plus a week of exhibitions isn't really enough information to dramatically change the preseason poll, but hey, let's take a stab at it anyway.

#1: UMass Lowell (3-0-0, 0-0-0 HEA) - 59 points, 4 first place votes. Last BCI Poll: #2

Lowell has two head-to-head comparisons with BC right now: one that counts (RPI) and one that doesn't (New Brunswick). In both instances Lowell won against a team BC lost to. Their solid early start has been enough to boost them in to the national top 10, but our staff holds them in even higher esteem than that and ranks them as the current team to beat. They've even gotten good goaltending in their first few weeks, which was their big question coming in to the season.

#2 Boston College (2-1-0, 0-0-0 HEA) - 56 points, 1 first place vote. Last BCI Poll: #1

The only person on our poll to vote BC #1 was the token BU fan we include (Shep). Go figure.

#3 Providence (2-0-1, 0-0-0 HEA - 50 points. Last BCI Poll: #3

The Friars' solid start has them up in to the top 5 in national polls. They went 1-0-1 at Miami (OH) before returning home to raise their banner with a win over Holy Cross.

#4 BU (1-1-0, 0-0-0 HEA) - 45 points. Last BCI Poll: #4

Our voters were unanimous in picking PC at #3 and BU at #4. BU's loss to Union doesn't look great, but their win over Wisconsin came fairly comfortably (4-1, with a dramatic shot margin). The Terriers did lose in an exhibition game, 7-4, to the US U18s on Friday.

#5 UVM (1-2-0, 0-0-0 HEA) - 40 points. Last BCI Poll: #6

Vermont was also a unanimous choice at #5 despite coming off a weekend in which they were swept by Omaha, the nation's new #1 team.

#6 Notre Dame (1-1-0, 0-0-0 HEA) - 34 points. Last BCI Poll: #7

Notre Dame split a weekend series with Penn State to open up their season. Not the most impressive start per se, but look out below because it only gets worse in the bottom six.

#7 Northeastern (1-2-0, 0-0-0 HEA, 0-2-0 Atlantic Hockey) - 29 points. Last BCI Poll: #5

Our voters didn't react too strongly to NU's two losses to Bentley, but LOL anyway. Northeastern does lead the nation in Corsi-For % thanks to outshooting Bentley like 10,000-3 in their 3-2 loss at Matthews Arena on Friday night, so that's a thing, The Huskies have too much talent to not end up at least above the dregs of HEA at season's end.

#8 Merrimack (2-0-0, 0-0-0 HEA) - 23 points. Last BCI Poll: #11

We're getting in to "take your pick" territory here but Merrimack differentiated themselves by sweeping St. Lawrence and Clarkson on the same weekend that UNH lost to both.

#9 UConn (2-1-0, 0-0-0 HEA) - 19 points. Last BCI Poll: #8

The #Icebus dispatched Arizona State in their home opener on Friday, but memories of them dropping a game against Alabama Huntsville linger. They play their first game against a school where ice occurs naturally this weekend against BU. Buckle up.

#10 Maine (0-1-3, 0-0-0 HEA) - 15 points. Last BCI Poll: #10

Is it possible to have no wins in four games but still feel kinda decent about a team? That's how I feel about Maine. Going 0-1-1 at Union isn't too bad, and Maine tied NoDak and Michigan State in week 1. Lowered expectations: feel the fever.

#11 UMass (3-0-0, 0-0-0 HEA) - 12 points. Last BCI Poll: #12

SBN College Hockey called UMass "one of the worst 3-0-0 teams ever," which may be true, but they are 3-0-0 nevertheless. They've got UNH this weekend and if they win that one they'll be feeling pretty good.

#12 UNH (1-2-0, 0-0-0 HEA) -  8 points. Last BCI Poll: #9

There's really nothing about UNH that makes them really appear any worse than anyone else in the bottom 4 teams but getting swept at home by Clarkson and St. Lawrence would have been pretty unimaginable for the Wildcats 8 or 9 years ago.

Individual Ballots

Joe Gravellese	Laura Berestecki	Grant Salzano	Arthur Bailin	Shep Hayes