The Gophers and Boston College are tied for No. 1 in USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine's preseason national rankings released on Monday.
BC won the NCAA title last spring. It was the Eagles' third national title in five years under coach Jerry York. The Gophers were the MacNaughton Cup champions -- meaning they were the WCHA regular-season champions -- and reached the Frozen Four in Tampa, Fla., before losing to BC 6-1 in the national semifinals.
The Gophers appear loaded for 2012-13, with six of their top seven scorers back -- five of them forwards -- and all six of their regular defensemen.
BC got 20 first-place votes, or eight more than Minnesota, but both had 476 points, meaning voters who did not pick the Gophers No. 1 still had them ranked high.
Chris Dilks, who writes for the Western College Hockey Blog, is skeptical about the Gophers' high ratings: "I guess unlike me, pollsters didn't have to search through last year's Frozen Four photos for a good Minnesota pic, only to be reminded of how just badly BC obliterated them."
That was then, this is now, Mr. Dilks. I didn't have a vote in the USA Today poll but, if I had, the Gophers would have gotten my vote for No. 1. Who has more returning talent than the Gophers, sir?
The only question mark with the 'U' is in goal. Otherwise, their defense is ridiculously deep, with two talented freshmen joining the mix, and coach Don Lucia should be able to put together two high-scoring lines.
Boston College will play the Gophers in one of the first-day games of the Mariucci Classic which is held during the holidays.
