Michigan State University Athletics
Hockey Slips To Fourth In Polls
11/23/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 23, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State slipped from third to fourth in the two major college hockey polls this week, with the Spartans' Friday opponent, Wisconsin, moving up to third.
Maine, the nation's only unbeaten team, moved into first place in both polls, taking over for North Dakota. Three of last week's top seven teams were swept last week, while six of the top seven suffered at least one loss.
Michigan State and No. 6 Michigan were both swept last weekend, the first time those two teams lost two games in the same weekend since Feb. 12-13, 1988.
Michigan State finds itself an underdog this Friday based upon the polls, as the Spartans host No. 3 Wisconsin in the opener of the College Hockey Showcase. MSU is facing a higher-ranked team at home for the first time since Feb. 14, 1997, when No. 8 Miami defeated ninth-ranked MSU, 2-1. The Spartans have only played two games since then against teams ranked ahead of them in the polls, both last year (1-1):
Dec. 27, 1998 (GLI Championship) #6 MSU 3, #3 Michigan 1 April 1, 1999 (NCAA Semifinals) #2 UNH 5, #3 MSU 3
The Spartans host Wisconsin Friday and Minnesota Saturday in the College Hockey Showcase. Both games face off at 7:05 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena. Neither is on television, but will be carried on radio by WVFN-AM 730 (www.broadcast.com/sports/ncaa/MichiganState). Tickets for both games are available for $14 at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office or by calling 800-GO-STATE or 517-355-1610.
U.S. College Hockey Online (11/15) 1. Maine (33) 392 2. North Dakota (7) 365 3. Wisconsin 277 4. MICHIGAN STATE 239 5. Rensselaer 189 6. Michigan 177 7. Colorado College 168 8. New Hampshire 155 9. Colgate 102 10. St. Lawrence 61 OTHERS: Northern Michigan 33, Boston College 13, Boston University 11, Cornell 10, Niagara 3, Harvard 2, MSU-Mankato 2, Minnesota 1.USA Today/American Hockey Magazine (11/22) 1. Maine (11) 220 2. North Dakota (4) 214 3. Wisconsin 186 4. MICHIGAN STATE 161 5. New Hampshire 148 6. Michigan 138 7. Rensselaer 120 8. Colorado College 118 9. Colgate 111 10. Northern Michigan 97 11. St. Lawrence 89 12. Boston College 54 13. Boston University 41 14. Miami (Ohio) 36 15. Harvard 25 OTHERS: Niagara 21, Cornell 16, MSU-Mankato 4, Ferris State 1.
POLLS: WEEK-BY-WEEK USCHO USA Today 10/5 3 - 10/18 5 6 10/25 4 3 11/1 4 4 11/8 4 4 11/15 3 3 11/22 4 4
