The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) continues to stake its claim as the premier conference in Division III men’s ice hockey. In the latest USCHO Men's Poll released on January 26, the league is represented by four teams in the top 12, led by Aurora at No. 2.
Following a weekend where the conference’s elite combined for a staggering 54 goals across eight games.
No. 2 Aurora (17-2-0, 10-2-0 NCHA) showed no signs of slowing down, maintaining their grip on the second spot behind only undefeated Hobart. The Spartans offensive machine was in full gear this past weekend, downing Concordia Wisconsin in a home-and-home sweep. After a 9-0 shutout on Friday, the Spartans returned home to secure a 9-3 victory on Saturday. They had 276 points in this week's poll.
No. 5 St. Norbert (13-5-1, 9-2-1 NCHA) made the most significant statement of the weekend. After a slight dip in previous weeks, the Green Knights reminded the country of their depth with a dominant home-and-home series against MSOE. The weekend was highlighted by a 9-0 shutout in De Pere on Sunday, to go along with a commanding 5-2 victory. Their rise back into the top-5 (210 points) sets the stage for a dramatic final stretch in the regular season.
No. 6 Adrian (14-5-0, 10-2-0 NCHA) appears to have put a mid-season slump in the rearview mirror. The Bulldogs traveled to Dubuque and handled business with a pair of convincing wins (7-1 and 5-1). Adrian’s ability to win comfortably on the road kept them locked into the No. 6 spot with 193 points. As one of the most dangerous offensive units in the country, the Bulldogs remain a threat to leapfrog up the national poll.
Perhaps the most impressive story of the month is the continued rise of No. 12 Trine (12-5-2, 8-2-2 NCHA). Once unranked earlier in the season, the Thunder moved up two more spots this week after an up-and-down weekend against Lake Forest. Trine showed grit on Friday, grinding out a 5-4 overtime victory on the road, before finishing the sweep with a 7-0 shutout on Saturday. Now sitting at No. 12 with 65 points, Trine has put itself back into the conversation for the Peter's Cup.
The NCHA standings are currently a logjam at the top, and the national poll reflects that parity. With Aurora, St. Norbert, Adrian, and Trine all within four points of each other, the upcoming head-to-head matchups within the conference will likely dictate which of these teams earns the right to host throughout the post-season.
?USCHO Men's Poll (January 19)
2. Aurora (278 points)
5. St. Norbert (209 points)
6. Adrian (205 points)
14. Trine (34 points)
USCHO Men's Poll (January 12)
2. Aurora (279 points)
3. St. Norbert (242 points)
6. Adrian (189 points)
15. Trine (22 points)
?USCHO Men's Poll (January 5)
2. Aurora (276 points)
3. Adrian (229 points)
4. St. Norbert (226 points)
RV Trine (18 points)
USCHO Men's Poll (December 8)
2. Adrian (241 points)
3. St. Norbert (239 points)
4. Aurora (237 points)
12. Trine (82 points)
USCHO Men's Poll (December 1)
2. Aurora (279 points)
3. Adrian (241 points)
5. St. Norbert (217 points)
10. Trine (102 points)
USCHO Men's Poll (November 24)
2. Aurora (268 points)
3. St. Norbert (258 points)
4. Adrian (237 points)
11. Trine (72 points)
RV MSOE (8 points)
USCHO Men's Poll (November 17)
2. Aurora (229 points - 1 first-place vote)
3. St. Norbert (261 points)
4. Adrian (242 points)
11. Trine (99 points)
USCHO Men's Poll (November 10)
2. Adrian (276 points)
3. Aurora (257 points)
4. St. Norbert (211 points)
11. Trine (95 points)
USCHO Men's Poll (November 3)
3. Adrian (252 points)
4. Aurora (237 points)
6. St. Norbert (195 points)
11. Trine (82 points)
USCHO Men's Poll (October 13)
5. St. Norbert (217 points)
6. Aurora (212 poitns)
7. Trine (173 points)
10. Adrian (119 points)