Men’s Division I hockey continues to spin with their USCHO rankings, as this week, there’s plenty of moving and shaking happening. Part of that moving is the Men’s Badgers hockey team breaking into the rankings after being left off the list of the Top 20 at the start of the season. After defeating No. 17 Michigan Tech, the Badgers knocked them out of the rankings and found their spot at No. 14.
New to the polls 📈#75thSeason || #NextChapter pic.twitter.com/DdvWxHKRHl
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) October 23, 2023
The Season for Badgers Hockey
The men’s team has gotten off to a 5-1 start this year, with their only loss at the sticks of No. 4 North Dakota. After defeating Michigan Tech 4-2 and 5-2 in back-to-back games, it’s clear that this iteration of Badgers hockey is different than the others that preceded them.
It was a big weekend.
1 – Sweep at No. 17 Michigan Tech
2 – Eau Claire native @t_emberson became the 92nd Badger in the NHL#75thSeason || #BadgersintheBigs pic.twitter.com/zftdioHecj— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) October 23, 2023
They’re in a good spot as they’re opening their Big Ten conference play this week against No. 1 Minnesota. Their secret sauce so far has been on defense and goaltending. Badgers hockey ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten in save percentage at .935, right behind Minnesota. They’ve also got the fewest goals scored against them per game in the Big Ten, with a 1.48 average.
In fact, Kyle McClellan, their senior goaltender, ranks 9th in the nation in goals against average at 1.493. He’s also 17th in the nation in save percentage at .935.
Movement Around the Badgers
The top five of the USCHO rankings produced the same teams in Minnesota, Denver, Boston College, North Dakota, and Quinnipiac. Quinnipiac and North Dakota flip-flopped their rankings, with North Dakota taking over the No. 4 spot.
Two other teams joined the rankings outside of Badgers hockey, and that’s Massachusetts and Omaha. UMass defeated the previously ranked Minnesota State twice this past week, while Omaha started their season 2-0 against previously No. 13 Ohio State. Those losses dropped Ohio State from No. 13 down to 16. UMass took up the No. 19 slot, and Omaha rounded out the Top 20.
Arizona State also saw a decent jump from No. 18 to No. 13 this past week. They defeated Northern Michigan twice this week to improve to 4-0-0.
This week’s https://t.co/2QgdyNoa0Z Division I Men’s Poll is here! pic.twitter.com/X6qvwfB2G1
— USCHO.com (@USCHO) October 23, 2023
The program is headed in the right direction as they play through their 75th season. This is after Badgers hockey made a change at head coach, letting go of Tony Granato after seven seasons of mixed results. They brought in new Head Coach Mike Hastings, and it seems that the move has paid off in the early going as the Badgers look for continued success in their Men’s hockey program.
