Steve Jukes wrote:
 
Your poll this week, January 30
 
> 1.  North Dakota
> 2.  Miami                 - swept Michigan, beat NH at Denver cup
> 3.  New Hampshire         - Lost to Miami, #1 RPI ranking
> 4.  Michigan State        - losses to ND, AF and BGSU, easier sched.
> 5.  Boston University     - High RPI Ranking
> 6.  Michigan              - no as good as they seem, no depth, Miami
> sweep
> 7.  Wisconsin             - Strong standing in WCHA, RPI ranking
> 8.  St. Cloud             - Right there with wisconsin
> 9.  Boston College
> 10. Northern Michigan     - Tough schedule, beaten Miami twice I tihnk
>
> 11. Northeastern
> 12. Yale                  - easy, easy schedule.. not as good as their
>
>                             record shows
 
Miami is a very good team and earned its two wins over Michigan, but the
rest of their January hasn't earned them a number two position yet.
They've also got a 2-2 tie at Notre Dame, a 1-5 crushing on home ice
against an underrated Ferris State, a 3-3 tie on home ice against Lake
Superior, and a 3-5 loss at Northern Michigan.  The wins are 3-1 at
Notre Dame, 4-3 at Lake Superior and 3-1 and 4-3 at home against
Michigan.  Not bad, but a team at #2 in the nation needs to do better
than that.  As for losses against unranked teams this year, Miami also
has one 4-5 at Ohio State and another 3-4 at Lake Superior.  Not to
mention another 2-3 loss at home against Northern Michigan.
 
As for Michigan State losing in Fairbanks to UAF, perhaps you've
forgotten Bryan Adams was out with a broken collar bone, Mike York not
back from the world junior championships, and Shawn Horcoff injured in
the third period after already scoring two goals of what was then a 4-4
tie before the Nanooks scored twice late in the third to win.  The
Nanooks were hungry and the Spartans had just come off a huge GLI win
and the long road trip as well.  Alban didn't play well and neither did
they, but Sean Berens really stepped up and played exceptionally well
and the Spartans more than made up for their loss here with dominating
wins the next two games.
 
There's something to be said about every team in your top 10, but don't
cherry pick the facts.  Miami has an opportunity to show where they
really belong this weekend with two games at Munn Ice Arena.  A sweep
there and they will belong where you've got them.  And if it happens
they won't be 3rd in the CCHA and second in the nation in your rankings
either.
 
Eric Carlson
 
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