• Blog Post by: Roman Augustoviz
• October 8, 2012 - 1:08 PM

The Gophers are No. 1 in the USA Today poll after being tied with Boston College for the top spot last week.

None of the top 15 teams have played a game yet, so at least two voters must have changed their minds. Minnesota had only 12 first-place votes last week. Now the Gophers have 14 while the number of first-pace votes for BC fell from 20 to 19 and for Michigan from two to one.

Boston College, the defending NCAA champion is still No. 1 along in the USCHO.com poll.

Union, a Frozen Four team last April, is the only team in the top 15 in the ratings that has played a game. The Dutchmen lost to Merrimack 4-1.

USA Today

Rank     School                                Last Week's Ranking

1 University of Minnesota, 483 (14)        1

2 Boston College, 482 (19)                     1

3 University of Michigan, 429 (1)             3

4 University of North Dakota, 406           4

5 Cornell University, 284                          6

6 UMass-Lowell, 263                               7

7 Western Michigan University, 250     11

8 Miami University, 234                            9

9 Union College, 227                               5

10 University of Denver, 200                   8

11 Ferris State University, 176             14

12 Minnesota Duluth,140                     12

13 Notre Dame, 136                             10

14 Boston University, 119                    13

15  Wisconsin, 63                                 15

USCHO.com

1 Boston College (37)      978    1

2 Minnesota (12)               948    2

3 Michigan ( 1)                   871    3

4 North Dakota                  837    4

5 Cornell                            704    6

6 Mass-Lowell                  680    7

7 Denver                            624    8

8 Miami                             588    9

9 Western Michigan      584   10

10 Union 0- 1-0             581     5

11 Ferris State               466   11

12 Boston University   429   13

13 Minnesota-Duluth  404   12

14 Notre Dame           400    14

15 Wisconsin              242   18

16 Michigan State      222    16

17 Harvard                  179     17

18 Quinnipiac 1- 0-0 126    NR

19 Merrimack 1- 0-0 120    NR

20 Maine 0- 1-0         102    15 

MAVERICKS ROLL

Minnesota State Mankato handled th University of Lethbridge on Sunday night about as easily as the Gophers the night before.

The Mavericks routed the Pronghorns 7-1. Freshman Bryce Gervais had two goals for the home team at the Verizon Wireless Center. Lethbridge scored first but Gervais' first goal made it 1-1 after the opening period.

Senior Eriah Hayes, freshman Dylan Margonari and sophomore Leitner made it 4-1 Mavericks after two periods.

“It was nice to see them build on a lead,” MSU coach Mike Hastings said. “I thought they would come out quick in the period.”

The Mavericks outshot Lethbridge 29-1 in the period and got three more goals.Junior Johnny McInnis, Gervais and senior Evan Mosey scored.

“Bryce is just a pure goal scorer,” said Leitner, who had a goal and three assists. “He has an ability to put the puck in the net.”

“Leitner is an easy guy to play with,” Gervais said. “He’ll always find the open guy.”

Said Hastings, the former Gophers assistant coach, “We got a long way to go. I like how we played for 60 minutes, but we have a lot of work we need to do between now and Friday."

The Mavericks play at Alabama-Huntsville Friday and Saturday.

* The Gophers beat the Pronghorns 7-0 last Saturday.

BEAVERS TIE

Senior Mathieu Dugas (L'Assomption, Quebec) played the first 30 minutes and 28 seconds in goal and stopped all 11 shots he faced. Freshman Fabian Sivnert (Holviken, Sweden) finished and gave up three goals on 14 shots.

The Beavers were out shot 28-26. Each team was 0-for-4 on the power play.

The Beavers play the U.S. Under-18 Team in another exhibition game Saturday at 7:07 p.m., then host Lake Superior State University to open the regular season on Oct. 19 and 20.

U WOMEN STILL NO. 1

The Gophers women's hockey team (4-0-0) remains No. 1 in USCHO.com's national ratings. It receiced all 15 first-place votes.

Other WCHA teams in the top 10 are Wisconsin at No. 4, North Dakota at No. 6 and Ohio State at No. 10.