There's a new No. 1 team in the U.S. College Hockey Online poll, and the rankings have a strong Minnesota flavor.

St. Cloud State (20-6-4) supplanted Notre Dame as the No. 1 team in the poll released Monday, garnering 967 points and 28 of 50 first-place votes. The Huskies are one of four Minnesota teams in the top 10, with Minnesota State Mankato moving up to No. 4, the Gophers at No. 8 and Minnesota Duluth at No. 9.

Cornell is No. 2 in the poll, followed by Denver, MSU Mankato and Notre Dame in the top five. Ohio State, Providence, the Gophers, UMD and Clarkson completed the top 10.

St. Cloud State's No. 1 ranking will be put to a test on Friday and Saturday with a visit from No. 3 Denver, the defending NCAA champion. The Pioneers swept the Huskies 4-2 and 5-1 in Denver in November, but St. Cloud State is riding a seven-game unbeaten streak.

• The Gophers women's team remained No. 7 in the USCHO poll. Wisconsin is a unanimous No. 1, followed by Clarkson, Boston College, Colgate and Cornell.

Etc.

• Fresh off earning a spot on the USA Gymnastics senior national team, the Gophers' Shane Wiskus was named Big Ten freshman of the week Monday, the fourth time he has earned the award. Wiskus competed at the two-day Winter Cup Challenge hosted by USA Gymnastics this past weekend, taking ninth place on the all-around with a 162.900.

• After notching a perfect 10.0 on beam, Gophers women's gymnast Ivy Lu was named the Big Ten event specialist of the week for the second week in a row. It was only the second perfect score on the beam in program history.

• Minnesota State Mankato senior Brad McClure was named WCHA offensive player of the week after he had three goals and four points for the Mavericks in their sweep of Ferris State. … Bemidji State senior Michael Bitzer was named WCHA goaltender of the week after stopping 43 of 46 shots at home against Alaska.