Jan. 9, 2017
USCHO.com Poll | USA Today Poll | PairWise Rankings (Updated Nightly)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Following their split at then-No. 11 Ohio State this weekend the Penn State men's ice hockey team falls two spots to No. 4 in the latest uscho.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine national polls.
The 3-0 loss on Friday night was the first for the program in nearly three months as they had last lost in just the second game of the season on October 7, 2016. The Nittany Lions achieved an all-time program-best 11-game winning-streak and 13-game unbeaten streak while climbing to No. 2 in the country during that span.
The top of the uscho.com poll is extremely congested with four teams receiving first-place votes this week, including a program-best six for the Nittany Lions. Just 69 points separate Penn State (883) from new No. 1 Denver (952); also ahead of the Lions are Harvard (918) and Minnesota-Duluth (888) at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
In the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll things are even more cluttered as only 34 points separate Penn State (442) from Denver (476) and just three points separate Duluth (No. 2), Harvard (No. 3) and Penn State (No. 4). The Lions received another program-high with eight first place votes which is the second most in the poll only behind the 18 received by Denver.
PSU remains the highest ranked Big Ten team with Minnesota (No. 9) and Ohio State (No. 10) while Wisconsin continues to receive votes.
Penn State returns home this weekend as they battle Michigan State in a weekend set on Friday and Saturday with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. each night.
PSU's All-Time USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Rankings
Dec. 14, 2015: No. 15
Jan. 4, 2016: No. 15
Jan. 11, 2016: No. 15
Jan. 18, 2016: No. 14
Jan. 25, 2016: No. 15
Feb. 15, 2016: No. 15
Feb. 22, 2016: No. 15
Feb. 29, 2016: No. 14
Mar. 7, 2016: No. 14
Oct. 31, 2016: No. 15
Nov. 7, 2016: No. 12
Nov. 14, 2016: No. 11
Nov. 21, 2016: No. 10
Nov. 28, 2016: No. 6
Dec. 5, 2016: No. 4
Dec. 12, 2016: No. 3
Dec. 19, 2016: No. 3
Jan. 2, 2017: No. 2
Jan. 9, 2017: No. 4
PSU's All-Time USCHO.com Rankings
Dec. 15, 2014: No. 20
Feb. 9, 2015: No. 19
Nov. 23, 2015: No. 20
Nov. 30, 2015: No. 19
Dec. 7, 2015: No. 16
Dec. 14, 2015: No. 14
Jan. 4, 2016: No. 14
Jan. 11, 2016: No. 15
Jan. 18, 2016: No. 14
Jan. 25, 2016: No. 15
Feb. 1, 2016: No. 16
Feb. 8, 2016: No.16
Feb. 15, 2016: No. 15
Feb. 22, 2016: No. 15
Feb. 29, 2016: No. 14
Mar. 7, 2016: No. 14
Mar. 14, 2016: No. 19
Oct. 24, 2016: No. 19
Oct. 31, 2016: No. 14
Nov. 7, 2016: No. 12
Nov. 14, 2016: No. 10
Nov. 21, 2016: No. 8
Nov. 28, 2016: No. 7
Dec. 5, 2016: No. 3
Dec. 12, 2016: No. 3
Dec. 19, 2016: No. 3
Jan. 2, 2017: No. 2
Jan. 9, 2017: No. 4