After being swept by No. 2 Michigan State on home ice, Penn State men’s hockey fell one spot to No. 6 in the latest USCHO poll. The Nittany Lions were previously in the No. 5 spot, but remain in prime position for a postseason push.

No. 1 Michigan maintains its firm stronghold on college hockey, earning 48 of the 50 possible first-place votes. Big Ten rival Michigan State also stays put at No. 2. North Dakota sits at No. 3, which switched places with Western Michigan at No. 4, while Quinnipiac cracked the top five as well, taking its final spot.

Elsewhere in the poll, Denver experienced the biggest jump, moving up three places to No. 8. Wisconsin fell five spots to No. 13 following a Minnesota sweep. Minnesota Duluth also saw significant movement, falling three spots to No. 10. UMass jumped into the poll, placing No. 19 after being unranked in the prior edition.

Penn State will be on a bye this week, but will return to action on Friday, February 13, for a massive series on the road against Michigan. The first game will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will air on Big Ten Plus.

About the Author

Jamie Lynch

Jamie is a fourth-year economics student from Chappaqua, NY. He loves to swim and is a member of the club team here at Penn State. Jamie is also in the Schreyer Honors College, and wishes there was an advanced course in college football fandom (scored 118/133 on the mascot quiz). He’s an avid ping-pong player, dairy lover, and has met two U.S. Presidents. If you have anything to share, or want to debate the AP Poll with someone, follow him on Twitter/X @jamielynchpsu or email jml8342@psu.edu.

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