National Polls Showcase Three League Teams

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Colgate, Cornell,  and Union, earn national recognition in the latest Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Polls, released Monday, January 9.

Cornell, 9-4-2, earned three points on the road last weekend at then No. 6/8 Colorado College by posting a 3-1 win and battling to a 3-3 overtime tie. As a result the Big Red sprang into the the top ten in both national polls for the first time this season. League leading Cornell is now ranked in the No. 9 position in the USCHO.com poll earning 525 points and No. 9 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll earning 215 points. Cornell’s defense is ranked second in the nation having only surrendered 30 goals in 15 contests. The Big Red concludes a stretch of six straight games away from home at Quinnipiac (Friday, Jan. 13) and Princeton (Saturday, Jan. 14) before returning to Lynah Rink for showdowns with Dartmouth (Friday, Jan. 20) and Harvard (Saturday, Jan. 21).

Colgate, who had its seven-game unbeaten streak stopped by then No. 17 Ferris State Friday evening by a count of 4-3, and dropped the series finale by a score of 3-1, lost consecutive games for the first time this season. As a result the Raiders fell to the No. 12 position in the USCHO.com poll earning 392 points and dropped seven spots in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll (108 points) to the No. 14. Colgate senior forward Austin Smith continues to lead the nation in goals per game (1.00) and shorthanded goals (five). The Raiders will be back in action next weekend as they jump back into league play with visits to Princeton and Quinnipiac. A reminder to fans that Skate with the Raiders is set for Jan. 18 from 6-7 p.m. at Starr Rink.

Union picked-up three points in the league standings last weekend by tying visiting Harvard  3-3 in overtime and handling Dartmouth by a count of 7-1 the following night. As a result, the Dutchmen held on to their No. 14 spot in the USCHO.com (357 points) and jumped back into the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll to the No. 13 position with 112 points. Union, now 10-5-6 on the season, has been led in goal this season by sophomore Troy Grosenick, who leads the nation with a 1.74 goals-against average. Union will hit the road next week to take on Harvard Friday night at Fenway Park at 7 p.m. as part of Sun Life Frozen Fenway 2012. The game will be the first outdoor regular season contest for the Dutchmen in 63 years and the first outdoor game involving two ECAC Hockey teams.

Yale, Harvard, and Quinnipiac also earned votes in the USCHO.com poll this week.

Click here to access complete USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll

Click here to access complete USCHO.com Poll

About the Polls:

The USCHO.com Poll consists of 50 voters, including 28 coaches from the Division I conferences and 22 beat writers and sports professionals from across the country. The poll, published weekly by the Associated Press, is a production of USCHO.com, which provides in-depth coverage of college hockey.

The 17th annual USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll is conducted each week in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association.  The poll includes input from coaches and journalists representing each of the five NCAA Division I ice hockey conferences, as well as composite votes from officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey Magazine, the most widely distributed hockey magazine in the world.