Maine Trust for Local News sports columnist Travis Lazarczyk is a voter in the US College Hockey Online men’s hockey poll. Each week, he will share his top 20 votes and highlight a few key items of interest in the sport.
### This Week’s Top 20 Votes:
1. Michigan State
2. Western Michigan
3. Boston University
4. Michigan
5. Denver
6. Penn State
7. Quinnipiac
8. North Dakota
9. Maine
10. Boston College
11. UConn
12. Ohio State
13. Colorado College
14. Minnesota
15. UMass
16. Providence
17. Augustana
18. Cornell
19. Union
20. Minnesota State
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### Black Bears Take a Hit
Maine was less than three minutes away from a big win and at least a split at Quinnipiac on Friday night. However, they allowed two late goals with the Bobcats skating an extra attacker, settling for a tie that felt more like a loss. That loss of momentum carried into Saturday’s game, where Maine fell 4-0.
As a result, I moved Quinnipiac up to No. 7 and dropped the Black Bears to No. 9. In the final voting, the Wildcats are ranked sixth and the Black Bears hold 10th.
Maine’s penalty kill must improve. The Bobcats scored four power-play goals across the two games, including three on Saturday alone. While Maine clearly has the talent, what remains uncertain is whether the Black Bears have the grit and spark needed to win the tough, physical games.
Maine will have a chance to prove themselves with a pair of games at Alfond Arena this weekend against Colgate. The Raiders (1-2-1) earned a tie at Boston University, which currently stands fourth in the poll, on October 11.
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### New No. 1 and Notable Matchups
Michigan State has claimed the new No. 1 spot after sweeping Boston University, last week’s top choice. This weekend featured several intriguing non-conference matchups between ranked teams, including:
– Maine’s tie and loss at Quinnipiac
– North Dakota and Minnesota splitting a pair of games
– UConn and Ohio State splitting their series
– Minnesota State and Wisconsin tying twice (Wisconsin was No. 17 in last week’s poll, but is not ranked on my ballot)
The biggest non-conference matchup this week is the home-and-home series between Western Michigan and Michigan. Another key game is Friday’s Denver at Boston College matchup; the Pioneers defeated BC last March to advance to the Frozen Four.
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### Hockey East Watch
In Hockey East, two home-and-home series are worth monitoring closely: UConn vs. Boston University. The big questions are: Will the Terriers rebound after their losses to Michigan State? And how will the Huskies fare following their split with Ohio State?
Stay tuned for more updates and analysis throughout the season.
https://www.sunjournal.com/2025/10/20/maine-mens-hockey-slips-in-vote-after-tie-loss-at-quinnipiac/