The most important rating or poll is the PairWise ratings., They compare the top 25 teams in RPI -- which is based on a team's winning percentage and strength of schedule -- in several criteria.
PairWise ratings mimic how the NCAA committee selects its 10 at-large teams for the NCAA tourament, where they join six conference postseason champions.
Six WCHA teams would make the field today if it were being picked today -- and the Final Five champion, which will probably be one of them.
Those six and their PairWise rating:
2. Denver, 4. Colorado College, 5. Wisconsin, 9. (tie) St. Cloud State, 11. UMD and 12. North Dakota ... Also 6. (tie) Bemidji State, which will join the WCHA next season.
The Gophers are No. 28 in RPI, so they are not even in the PairWise mix but very, very close. A victory over Northern Michigan on Sunday would have gotten them into the PairWise ratings. As it is, the Wilccats by beating Minnesota 4-2 are tied for No. 22 in the PairWise ratings this week with another WCHA team, Minnesota State Mankato. Ugh.
Bowling Green, which the Gophers beat 3-1 on Saturday on three third-period goals, is No. 53 out of 58 teams in RPI while Harvard, the Gophers' next opponent, is No. 55. Who is No. 58 you wonder? American International.
Here are this week's national polls:
