Gophers lose top spot in poll to Quinnipiac

The Gophers men's hockey team fell out of No. 1 in the United States College Hockey Online poll for the first time in 2013, dropping behind Quinnipiac in the latest poll released Monday.

Quinnipiac (21-3-4), which is on a 21-game unbeaten streak (18-0-3), received 41 of a possible 50 first-place votes and 983 points to 949 for the Gophers (19-5-4).

The Gophers took over the No. 1 ranking in the Dec. 31 poll and held the top spot for six weeks. But they split a weekend series at WCHA-leading St. Cloud State and are 2-2-1 in their past five games.

Quinnipiac also took over the top spot from the Gophers in the other major poll, the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.

In the PairWise rankings, which are the most important because they mimic how the NCAA fills and seeds its postseason tournament, Quinnipiac remains No. 1 and the Gophers No. 2.

ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ

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