Gophers men's hockey climbs to No. 2 in national rankings

A sweep at Ohio State, along with losses by North Dakota and Minnesota State Mankato, lifted the Gophers up two spots to No. 2 in the U.S. College Hockey Online men's poll released Monday.

The Gophers (15-3) posted their seventh sweep of the season, 5-1 and 5-2 over the Buckeyes. They received 11 of 40 first-place votes and 763 points, trailing only Boston College (9-2-1), which received 28 first-place votes and 787 points. The Eagles were idle last weekend.

North Dakota (13-4-1) fell one spot to No. 3 after splitting a series at No. 9 Nebraska Omaha. St. Cloud State (11-6), which was idle last weekend, moved up one spot to No. 5. Minnesota Duluth (10-5-2), which swept Miami (Ohio), is up a spot to No. 5, while Minnesota State (9-2-1) fell three spots to No. 6 after a loss at Bemidji State.

Seventh-ranked Michigan, Bowling Green, Nebraska Omaha and Massachusetts rounded out the top 10. Bemidji State (6-4-2) moved into the poll at No. 18, meaning all five of Minnesota's Division I men's teams are ranked.

The Gophers face No. 11 Wisconsin on Friday and Saturday at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

For the second time in four weeks, there will be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in women's hockey when top-ranked Wisconsin visits the No. 2 Gophers on Friday and Saturday at Ridder Arena.

The Badgers and Gophers retained their spots in the USCHO women's poll. Wisconsin (8-2), which was idle last weekend, received all 15 first-place votes. Minnesota (9-4) split a series at then-No. 3 Ohio State, winning the opener 7-4 before falling 3-1 in the finale. Northeastern moved ahead of Ohio State to No. 3, followed by the Buckeyes, Colgate and Minnesota Duluth. Boston College, Penn State, Clarkson and Providence completed the top 10.

Wisconsin swept the Gophers 5-0 and 6-3 on Jan. 15 and 16 in Madison, Wis., wrestling the No. 1 ranking from Minnesota.