Badgers Men's Hockey Rises In Latest USHCO Rankings
The Wisconsin Badgers men’s hockey team made a sharp rise in this week’s USHCO Division I men’s poll, released on Monday.
The Badgers (18-4-0) moved up from No. 5 to No. 2 on the strength of a weekend two-game sweep of Notre Dame.
The Badgers also received five first-place votes from the voters. Boston College, which was No. 1, received 37 first-place votes. No. 2 Boston University received five and Maine, which came in No. 7, received two.
The Badgers are on a nine-game winning streak, dating back to a 5-0 win over Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 25. Before that the Badgers hit a rough patch, as they lost three straight after a 9-1 start to the season. They lost a pair to Michigan State and then the first game of their set with Alaska Anchorage before getting back on a tear.
Thanks to their two-game sweep of Notre Dame, the Badgers extended their lead in the Big Ten standings to five points over Michigan State. The Badgers have 30 points. Their only two league losses have been to the Spartans.
Last week Wisconsin goaltender Kyle McClellan was named the HCA Goaltender of the Month for December and Badgers freshman Quinn Finley helped Team USA win the gold medal in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The Badgers take a break from Big Ten action this weekend when they host Lindenwood on Friday and Saturday at the Kohl Center. Game time is set for 7 p.m. each night.
USCHO Division I Men's Poll - January 8, 2024
(first-place votes in parenthesis)
1. Boston College (37)
2. Boston University (6)
3. Wisconsin (5)
4. North Dakota
5. Quinnipiac
6. Denver
7. Maine
8. Michigan State
9. Providence
10. Western Michigan
11. Arizona State
12. Minnesota
13. Massachusetts
14. St. Cloud
15. Michigan
16. New Hampshire
17. Colorado College
18. Cornell
19. RIT
20. Penn State