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Michigan State tumbles to No. 17 in latest USCHO Poll

January 30, 2023
<p>Michigan State hockey before the second of a two game series against Ohio State, held at Munn Ice Arena on Nov 11, 2022. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes 4-3.</p>

Michigan State hockey before the second of a two game series against Ohio State, held at Munn Ice Arena on Nov 11, 2022. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes 4-3.

Photo by Jack Patton | The State News

Michigan State fell two spots to No. 17 in the USCHO Poll released Monday afternoon following two losses at Minnesota.

Minnesota, who is now ranked No. 1 in the country, scored nine seconds into the series off a head-scratching defensive error and never looked back. The Spartans surrendered 14 goals on the weekend, starting out with a horrendous 8-0 Friday night decision. MSU played much better Saturday night jumping out to a 2-1 lead in the second period, but the Gophers rattled off five straight goals to win 6-3.  

Elsewhere in the Big Ten, six of the seven teams in the conference are now ranked as part of a middle mush that has second place and sixth place separated by just three points. Michigan rose to No. 6 after a dramatic home sweep versus Penn State, who fell three spots to No. 9. Ohio State elevated one spot to No. 7 after an idle week and Notre Dame entered the poll at No. 20 following a sweep of Wisconsin.

MSU also fell three spots to No. 16 in the Pairwise Rankings. The Spartans have three series remaining versus Notre Dame, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Here’s how the rest of the rankings sit:

  1. Minnesota
  2. Quinnipiac
  3. Boston University
  4. Denver
  5. St. Cloud
  6. Michigan
  7. Ohio State
  8. Harvard
  9. Penn State
  10.  Western Michigan
  11.  Cornell
  12.  Michigan Tech
  13.  Minnesota State
  14.  Connecticut
  15.  Merrimack
  16.  UMass Lowell
  17.  Michigan State
  18.  RIT
  19.  Omaha
  20.  Notre Dame

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