The sign on the boards said it best: "It's a Great Day For Hockey."

More specifically, it was a great day for college hockey on Saturday, as Wisconsin hosted Michigan on the grand stage of an outdoor rink at Camp Randall Stadium in Michigan. Two programs no stranger to large outdoor games - the Wolverines helped start the current run of outdoor games in 2001 with the Cold War against Michigan State, while the Badgers played in the Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic in 2006 at Lambeau Field - put on a show befitting the scene and the crowd, producing a game that went down to the wire to highlight an exciting weekend of college hockey.

WINNERS OF THE WEEK

Wisconsin - The No. 3 Badgers trailed No. 19 Michigan, 2-1, with six minutes left to play in the Culver's Camp Randall Hockey Classic, before Brendan Smith scored two power play goals a mere 4:10 apart to turn that deficit into a 3-2 victory. They were Smith's 11th and 12th goals of the season, part of the 33 points that have him 13th in the nation in scoring average and tops among defensemen in that statistic, and a major building block in his case for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

Maine - The Black Bears swept their closest rival, Hockey East leading New Hampshire, in a pair of games at Alfond Arena in Orono this weekend, bringing them into a second-place tie in the conference with Boston College, just a point behind the Wildcats with a game in hand. Sophomore forward Gustav Nyquist had four assists on the weekend - including two on Maine's first two goals on Friday night, climbing out of an early 2-0 deficit - giving him a total of 40 points on the season (14g, 26a), and a scoring average of 1.54 PPG, second only to Canisius' Cory Conacher.

Union - With the bright lights of national television shining down on Messa Rink (the NHL Network picked up Friday's regional cable broadcast), the Dutchmen put on an offensive show Friday night, erasing an early 1-0 deficit against Clarkson and cruising to an 11-2 win, which they followed with a 4-2 win over St. Lawrence on Saturday to maintain a second-place tie in ECAC Hockey with Yale, as both schools sit one point behind Cornell. Senior forward Mario Valery-Trabucco exploded for a hat trick and two assists on Friday, followed it with another goal and assist on Saturday, and now sits in a tie for 11th in the nation in scoring average (1.30 PPG).

NOTABLE QUOTE

 "On behalf of our staff, administration, and the Burke family, we're just proud of the way our guys came out and played. All the boys just really wanted to do this for Brendan. I think it shows the kind of person he was and what he meant to us and it was a difficult 24 hours for everyone." - Miami University head coach Enrico Blasi about his team's effort in a 10-4 win over Lake Superior on Saturday.

The hockey world was stunned Friday with the death of RedHawks student manager Brendan Burke - the son of Toronto Maple Leafs and US Olympic Team general manager Brian Burke - who passed away tragically due to injuries sustained in a car crash in Indiana. A 4.0 student with his sights set on Law School, Burke was a well-liked figure in the Miami program and a contributor to the RedHawks' success in recent years (including last season's run to the NCAA title game).

"Not unlike the Burke family," Blasi said, "he had an eye for the game. He knew exactly what he was watching. He could pick out things that we as the coaches or as a staff needed to get ready for the next weekend."

More importantly, Blasi said, "Anyone associated with Brendan knew you could count on him. He was just an incredible person. There wasn't a day or even minute that went by that you didn't see his pearly whites."

After honoring Burke's memory in a pregame ceremony, the RedHawks stormed out to an emotional start, scoring four goals in the first period, and three more in the second before the Lakers could get on the board.

Brendan Burke will be laid to rest Tuesday in Canton, Mass.

USCHO.com DIVISION I MEN'S POLL

1. Miami
2. Denver
3. Wisconsin
4. St. Cloud State
5. Bemidji State
6. Yale
7. Minnesota-Duluth
8. Cornell
9. Colorado College
10. Boston College
11. North Dakota
12. Maine
13. Michigan State
14. Ferris State
15. New Hampshire
16. Union
17. Vermont
18. UMass
19. Michigan
20. UMass-Lowell

Others Receiving Votes: St. Lawrence, Alaska, RIT, Boston University, Rensselaer, Northern Michigan, Sacred Heart, Lake Superior, Minnesota

For the second time in the space of a month, college hockey is taking it outside, a major non-conference event in the west that highlights a weekend that features several key matchups in the east.

CAMP RANDALL HOCKEY CLASSIC: NO. 19 MICHIGAN AT NO. 3 WISCONSIN

It's a rare second meeting of the season between the Wolverines and the Badgers, as the two teams will play outdoors at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. It will be the second outdoor game of the modern era for each program: Wisconsin defeated Ohio State at Lambeau Field in Green Bay in 2006, en route to the 2006 NCAA Championship, while Michigan helped kick off the trend of hockey games in football stadiums in 2001, playing against Michigan State at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. The Wolverines and Spartans will head outdoors again next season, as it was announced last week that "The Big Chill at the Big House" will take place on Dec. 11.

When the puck drops, though, it's still a hockey game, and an important one for both teams. After posting a 3-5 record in November and going 3-3 in December, the Wolverines entered 2010 with their NCAA-best streak of 19 straight NCAA tournament appearances in danger. Michigan went 5-2-1 in January, including a key win over Michigan State last Saturday at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, and started Feburary off on the right foot Thursday night at Bowling Green with a 2-1 win. The Wolverines have one point-per-game player in junior forward Carl Hagelin (13g, 18a in 29 games), but have gotten a strong freshman effort from forward Chris Brown (11g, 10a), while junior Matt Rust (10g, 16a) has been another key player. Defense has been the story for the Wolverines, who have held opponents to 2.28 goals per game, good for eighth in the nation. The Wolverine penalty kill is sixth in the country (8.3 percent).

The Badgers, meanwhile, have lost just twice since dropping that game to Michigan at Yost Arena in November, with both setbacks coming in the last three weeks. Wisconsin will be looking to kickstart a strong finish to the season, as a pair of home games against St. Cloud on February 19-20 are the only remaining tests from the WCHA's upper echelon in the regular season. No slouch in the defense department themselves (2.38 goals allowed per game), the Badgers also bring the nation's No. 2 scoring offense, with the nation's top scoring defenseman, Brendan Smith, leading the way (10g, 21a), and forwards Michael Davies (11g, 19a), Derek Stepan (6g, 23a) Blake Geoffrion (18g, 9a) shouldering the load up front. Geoffrion is especially dangerous on the power play, having scored 10 of his 18 goals with the man advantage.

HOCKEY EAST GAME: No. 14 BOSTON COLLEGE at NO. 15 MASSACHUSETTS

The Eagles could get a major sign for their season on Monday when they meet rival Boston University for the Beanpot - BC's last three Beanpot wins have preceded trips to the Frozen Four, including the 2001 and 2008 NCAA titles - but they need to be concerned with Toot Cahoon's Minutemen in Amherst on Friday night. UMass boasts to of the nation's top forwards in national assists leader James Marcou (8g, 32a) and his main beneficiary, sophomore Casey Wellman (19g, 16a), while senior Will Ortiz (12g, 12a) has also been a major weapon for the Minutemen. Nearly half of Wellman's goals have come on the power play, where UMasss is fourth in the nation (22.7 percent), which will put pressure on the Eagles to stay disciplined and out of the penalty box.

The Eagles, meanwhile, will be looking to repeat the form that earned them a 3-1 win at the Mullins Center in early December, although it's been an up-and-down season ever since. BC has not won more than two games in a row since having a seven-game unbeaten streak snapped against St. Lawrence at the Denver Cup. The Eagles have the chance to make it three in a row on Friday, though, and will look to junior Brian Gibbons (10g, 20a) and sophomore Cam Atknson (16g, 11a) to lead the way, while junior John Muse will look to stymie Marcou, Wellman and the rest of the Minutemen.

HOCKEY EAST SERIES: NO. 13 NEW HAMPSHIRE AT NO. 16 MAINE

The signature rivalry of northern New England has lost some luster in recent years with Maine's struggles, but the Black Bears should have a fired-up crowd ready to go at Alfond Arena on Friday. The Black Bears have bounced back after a couple of disappointing seasons, and boast one of the nation's top scorers in Swedish sophomore Gustav Nyquist (14g, 22a). One of two Black Bears with double digit goals along with junior Tanner House (11g, 9a), Nyquist will likely be the main focus of UNH's defense. At the other end, the  Wildcats boast a top scorer of their own in senior forward Bobby Butler (18g, 18a), who, like Nyquist, is one of the top contenders for the Hobey Baker Award. Junior Paul Thompson (15g, 12a) has also put the puck in the net with regularity, while sophomroe Blake Kessel (6g, 22a) packs an offensive punch from the blueline as one of the nation's top scoring defensemen.

ATLANTIC HOCKEY SERIES: RIT at SACRED HEART

With top conference rivals Air Force and Mercyhurst in non-conference action this weekend (both schools will face Denver and Colorado College), the Tigers have a chance to solidify their grip on the conference lead. To do that, though, they'll need to shut down the nation's hottest team, unbeaten in 12 games. That starts with finding an answer for senior forwards Nick Johnson (21g, 15a) and Dave Jarman (9g, 27a), and will continue with getting the puck past freshman sensation Steven Legatto (12-6-3, .913 SV%, 2.93 GAA). The Tigers will counter with a balanced attack, boasting just one double digit goal scorer in sophomore Cameron Burt (11g, 10a), but eight players with five goals or more for head coach Wayne Wilson. Wins will put the Tigers solidly in the Atlantic Hockey driver's seat, but they'll be hard to come by.

BOSTON - The 2009 Beanpot featured the defending NCAA Champion, the eventual NCAA Champion, a team en route to making its first NCAA tournament appearance in 15 years, and all three members of the "Hobey Hat Trick," the top three finalists for college hockey's most prestigious individual honor. The aggregate record of the participants: 52-30-11.

A year later, the three Hat Trick finalists are in the pros, the defending champs are having a rough go of their title defense, and the aggregate record of the four teams at TD Garden is a less-than-impressive 38-41-9.

But, if there's a lesson to be learned from Monday night's action, it's that none of that matters on the first Monday in February.

While No. 14 Boston College took care of business, as expected, with a 6-0 win over Harvard, there was nothing ho-hum about the game, especially with the Crimson determined to play the game in the Eagles' crease, a strategy that contributed to a highly competitive atmosphere throughout the game - not to mention Harvard's 48 penalty minutes and BC's 11 power play opportunities.

And when reigning Beanpot champ Boston University took the ice against Northeastern, the names and faces may have changed, but there was nothing in the pace or quality of play to suggest that it wasn't the 2009 NCAA Champion BU squad taking on the Huskies that went 25-12-4 and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

"I thought it was a great college hockey game to watch," said BU head coach Jack Parker. "There were times when each team had a lot of possession in the other team's zone, a lot of good opportunities. Both goaltenders played great. It was pressed right to the end."

"Standings don't matter when you get to these games," BC captain Matt Price said. "When we get to the Beanpot, everyone plays hard, it's going to be a battle all 60 minutes and all the teams know that coming into it."

For Eagles freshman Chris Kreider, who grew up with the Beanpot in Boxford, Mass., and has fond memories of the overtime goals by Nick Petrecki and Nathan Gerbe that won BC the 2007 Beanpot (and even goals by former BU players Christopher Higgins and Chris Bourque), the beatdown of the Crimson was a welcome addition to a freshman year that's already included a gold medal with Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championship and the opportunity to play at Fenway Park in last month's Frozen Fenway game.

"I think it was everything I expected," Kreider said. "It was a great performance by our team, and I'm really looking forward to the final. It was a great atmosphere. We had a lot of the student body here, so it was a lot of fun."

The student bodies contributed even more in the nightcap, as the BU and Northeastern student sections were side by side for a down-to-the-wire battle between the Terriers and the Huskies, adding fuel to the competitive flames that burned between the tournament's most and least decorated teams.

"The hsitory and all of the great players that have played in it [makes it special]," the Huskies' Kyle Kraemer said of the Beanpot, "and seeing the fans up there going at it. It's unbelievable. Playing college hockey in Boston is probably the best thing for a college kid. It's like playing football in Texas. Looking up in the balcony and seeing the stands packed with BU and NU fans on the same side is pretty cool."

Those fans got a show to remember on Monday night, with a game that was scoreless at the end of the first period, 1-0 BU after two periods, and tied 1-1 with six minutes to play, 13 seconds before freshman Alex Chiasson beat Northeastern's Chris Rawlings short side on a two-on-one with senior Zach Cohen.

"The first time I heard about the Beanpot was when I was playing at Northwood Prep School," said Chiasson, a native of St. Augustin, Quebec. "It's different when you actually play here than when you just hear about it. It was a great experience tonight."

Still, it's an experience that Chiasson's coach worries might be slipping away. Happy as he is to be in next Monday's championship game for the 25th time in 27 seasons, Parker knows that too much dominance by his Terriers and Jerry York's Eagles could be damaging to the tournament.

"The Beanpot is losing its luster a little bit if it's constantly going to be BU or BC winning the tournament," Parker said. "These teams are real good hockey programs, Harvard and Northeastern. People are going to get tired of this. People are tired of this in some ways. People are never tired of a BC-BU game; people always say, 'That's what we wanted, a BC-BU game.' You know who wants a BC-BU game? BC and BU!

"I truly believe that there's more pressure on the teams that haven't won it in a while. We've got guys in our locker room who have won the Beanpot. I think there's a lot more pressure on the teams that haven't won it in a while: 'Let's get this done!' The longer it goes, the worse it gets. We played a team that was trying to steamroll us. I just think it's hard to take if you've put in four years at X school and X school has never won a Beanpot."

Still, given that he's one of the people who stands to benefit from a BC-BU final, Parker's not terribly upset about having the chance to bring home a 30th championship in 58 years of the Beanpot in a week's time.

"I won three Beanpots when I was a player," Parker said. "I want my players to feel what I felt. I want them to know what it's like to win a Beanpot. But I want Harvard to know what it's like to win the Beanpot. I want Northeastern to know what it's like. Not on my watch, maybe, but the sooner it's going to happen, the better it will be for both those schools and the better it will be for the Beanpot."

For now, though, even as BU readies for a Friday game with No. 18 UMass-Lowell and BC prepares to meet No. 15 UMass, anticipation is building for what promises to be another intense championship game between the Terriers and the Eagles next Monday night.

The No. 1 ranking in the nation remains in solid hands this week - Rico Blasi's Miami RedHawks are on top again after sweeping Western Michigan - but it's not for a lack of effort from Blasi's mentor, George Gwozdecky, and the Denver Pioneers. The Pios didn't come away empty-handed, though...not by any means.

WINNERS OF THE WEEK

Denver - With three Top 20 battles on the schedule and the WCHA lead hanging in the balance, the Pioneers took care of business, sweeping North Dakota on the road to pass Minnesota Duluth (who split with Wisconsin) and hold off St. Cloud (who split at Colorado College).

Sacred Heart - College hockey's "other" Pioneers followed up a midweek win over American International with a weekend sweep of in-state rival UConn, and are the proud owners of college hockey's longest unbeaten streak, having gone 10-0-2 since being swept at Army to start December. What's more, in his first year as head coach, former Yale assistant C.J. Marottolo has the Pioneers in fourth place in Atlantic Hockey, just in time for a visit from conference leader RIT. The Tigers will have their "paws" full with senior forward Nick Johnson, the nation's leading goal-scorer with 21 goals in 26 games, as well as classmate Dave Jarman, who has 36 points to match Johnson's total.

Cornell - Like Denver in the WCHA, Cornell entered the weekend with a chance to take the lead in ECAC Hockey, and the Big Red made good on the opportunity. It started on Friday, when Mike Schafer's team beat St. Lawrence, while Yale beat then-leader Union. On Saturday, though, with Cornell and Yale starting the evening in a first-place tie, the Big Red completed the weekend sweep with a win over Clarkson, while Yale faltered in a 4-0 loss to Rensselaer. Senior forward Blake Gallagher shined against Clarkson with a goal and three assists, and sits in a tie for 14th among the nation's scoring leaders, while his classmate, Ben Scrivens, has played every single minute in goal for the Big Red, ranking third in the nation in goals-against average (1.94) and fourth in save percentage (.929).

NOTABLE QUOTE

"They beat Miami twice for a reason. They played with a lot of emotion and it seemend, to them, there was a lot at stake. But there was a lot at stake for us, too. They played with a purpose and we didn't." - Bemidji State head coach Tom Serratore after a 5-2 loss to Robert Morris.

If there were an award for Team of the Month, the Colonials would likely be front-runners. Entering 2010 with a record of 3-10-3, Derek Schooley's team lost a pair of close games at CCHA contender Lake Superior, then came home to stun No. 1 Miami at Mellon Arena (home of the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins) in the Pittsburgh Hockey Classic. The Colonials then proceeded to top the RedHawks again two days later in Oxford, and added a sweep of Alabama-Huntsville the following weekend for good measure. After a loss and tie against Colgate, the Colonials traveled to Bemidji, and bounced back from Friday's 5-1 loss to win big on Saturday night and come away with a split, made more impressive by the fact the the aggregate score of the Beavers' three wins over RMU is 13-2.

With an overall record of 8-14-4 (4-5-2 CHA), it's CHA title or bust for the Colonials, but with three wins over Top 10 teams this month, Robert Morris has shown that the ability to win is there every time the team steps on the ice, which should make things very interesting next month at the last CHA Tournament. The Beavers will likely have that in mind next weekend, when they travel to Moon Township to complete the regular season series with RMU.

USCHO.com DIVISION I MEN'S RANKINGS

1. Miami
2. Denver
3. Wisconsin
4. St. Cloud State
5. Cornell
6. Minnesota Duluth
7. Bemidji State
8. Yale
9. North Dakota
10. Colorado College
11. Ferris State
12. Michigan State
13. New Hampshire
14. Boston College
15. UMass
16. Maine
17. Vermont
18. UMass-Lowell
19. Michigan
20. Union

Receiving Votes: St. Lawrence, Lake Superior, Sacred Heart, Notre Dame, RIT, Alaska, Minnesota

Hockey Weekend Across America got off to a furious start in the college ranks on Friday night, with six games between ranked teams highlighting the action, along with one of college hockey's most storied rivalries, and the end results saw three conference leads change hands.

IN THE WCHA...

No. 3 Denver was unseated as the No. 1 team in the nation last weekend, at the hands of No. 2 Wisconsin, but Friday night, it was the Pioneers doing the unseating, taking the conference lead from No. Minnesota Duluth. They had an assist from Wisconsin - 5-2 winners over the Bulldogs in a game that included goals from national defenseman scoring leader Brendan Smith and team goals leader Blake Geoffrion - but Marc Cheverie helped the Pioneers hold up their part of the bargain with his sixth shutout of the season, and Joe Colborne and Tyler Ruegsegger supplied the offense.

Fun fact: Of Cheverie's 13 wins this season, nearly half have come by shutout.

Of course, The Pioneers don't have complete control of the situation just yet. Denver shares the WCHA lead with No. 5 St. Cloud, as the Huskies ran the longest win streak in the nation to nine games Friday with a 5-4 win at No. 11 Colorado College. Senior forward Ryan Lasch helped set the pace with a goal and two assists, and David Eddy contributed a pair of goals to the cause, matching CC's Bill Sweatt in lighting the lamp.

Saturday promises to be just as big a night in the conference. Denver and St. Cloud may share the WCHA lead, but that lead is a single point, which means that the winner of Saturday's Wisconsin vs. Minnesota Duluth game could take over the conference lead with a Denver loss to North Dakota and a Huskies loss to the Tigers.

IN ECAC HOCKEY...

Like the WCHA, ECAC Hockey now has not one, but two new leaders after Friday's action. No. 18 Union led the conference heading into the weekend, but was unseated on Friday by No. 6 Yale, as the top scoring offense in the nation continued to chug along in a 4-3 win over the Dutchmen at Ingalls Rink. Surprisingly, the offensive star of the game was junior center Brendan Mason, who entered the game with four goals this season but added two more, including the game-winner at 6:44 of the third period.

The Bulldogs have company atop the standings in No. 8 Cornell, 2-1 winners in a tight battle with St. Lawrence at Lynah Rink that saw the Big Red limit the Saints to 16 shots on goal. Despite the shot differential (Cornell took 34 shots), the game was undecided until the final two minutes of regulation, as Patrick Kennedy scored his fifth goal of the season at 18:23 of the final frame.

Both the Bulldogs and Big Red will look to hang on to their newly-earned conference leads on Saturday night, with Yale getting a visit from RPI and Cornell playing host to Clarkson. Meanwhile, the Saints and Dutchmen will look to rebound with games at Colgate and Brown, respectively.

IN ATLANTIC HOCKEY

RIT took sole possession of the conference lead on Friday night with a 4-1 win over Bentley. The Tigers had shared the AHA lead with Air Force, but Army took care of that on Friday with a 4-2 win over the Falcons, overcoming a goal and an assist from former Hobey Baker finalist Jacques Lamoureux. With a two-point lead in the standings and four games in havnd, the Tigers are in the driver's seat, and will look to improve their position when they face the Falcons one more time as Air Force wraps up its weekend at West Point.

Three conference, five new leaders. What will the rest of the weekend bring? Check back and find out!

For the second time in three weeks, the No. 1 ranking in the USCHO.com rankings has changed hands. And, to quote a certain band that has a big performance coming up in Miami, "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

WINNERS OF THE WEEK

Miami - The RedHawks' NCAA-best scoring defense (1.69 goals per game) put on a tour de force performance in a two game series at Alaska, allowing just one goal in two games as Miami collected five of six possible points in the CCHA standings with a win and a shootout victory over the Nanooks. Thanks to a stumble by Denver (more on that below), Rico Blasi's club found the NO. 1 ranking for them when they returned home to Oxford. The shutout was earned by sophomore Connor Knapp (4-2-3, 1.95 GAA, .918 SV%), reminding observers that while classmate Cody Reichard  (12-2-3, 1.50 GAA, .933 SV%)has broken out as Miami's primary netminder - and the national leader in both goals-against average and save percentage - there are no nights off against RedHawk goaltending.

Wisconsin - The Badgers had their best home series against Denver in more than five years, following Friday's 3-3 tie against the then-No. 1 Pioneers with a 4-3 win on Saturday, their first regular-season victory over DU at the Kohl Center since October 2004. It was a big weekend for senior forward Blake Geoffrion, who scored his 16th and 17th goals in Friday's tie, then turned around on Saturday and assisted on two of Wisconsin's four goals in the win on Saturday. He'll be looking for more of the same on Saturday, as the Badgers go from facing the top team in the poll to the top team in the WCHA standings, and that team is not happy right now, thanks to...

Bemidji State - The Beavers got their biggest wins of the season in a sweep of WCHA-leading Minnesota Duluth, including a dramatic come-from-behind overtime win on Saturday in Duluth. After UMD's Mike Seidel scored to put the Bulldogs up 4-3 with 5:54 to play, Beavers tied the score with just two seconds to play on a goal by Ben Kinne. Then, 36 seconds in the extra session, Jordan George scored to win it for the Beavers, moving their record to 17-5-2 on the season.

Cornell - The No.8 Big Red got a key non-conference win on Friday night, a 1-0 shutout of North Dakota behind 28 saves from Ben Scrivens, and a goal from Mike Devin less than two minutes into the third period. A loss Saturday put a damper on the weekends, but it gives a hint at how dangerous Cornell could be come March. What's more, while Mike Schafer's team stepped out of non-conference play, events in ECAC Hockey have unfolded to give them a shot at the conference lead this weekend.

NOTABLE QUOTE

"It's a good reality check for us." - Union defenseman Brock Matheson, after a 3-1 loss to Dartmouth on Saturday.

The No. 18 Dutchmen, who won their first ECAC Hockey playoff series under head coach Nate Leaman last season, have a had a  season in 2009-2010, leading the conference for much of the season. However, a pair of losses at home to Harvard and Dartmouth have given the conference's other top teams, No. 6 Yale, No. 8 Cornell and St. Lawrence a shot at the lead. Friday, the top four teams in ECAC Hockey meet, as Union travels to Yale, and Cornell hosts the Saints.

While they'll be on the road, though, the Dutchmen won't be much out of their element: Union is 8-1-1 on the road this season, as opposed to 5-4-3 at Messa Rink in Schenectady. The difference for the disparity, according to coach Nate Leaman: "We are a better road team because we stick to our system a lot tighter when we travel."

ON THE HORIZON

The ECAC showdowns are just two of the top attractions this weekend. Hockey Weekend Across America figures to be one of the biggest college hockey weekends of the regular season, as there will be 11 games between ranked teams, including three series huge in the WCHA: No. 2 Wisconsin at No. 9 Minnesota Duluth, No. 4 North Dakota at No. 3 Denver, and No. 5 St. Cloud State at No. 11 Colorado College. In addition, the CCHA puts its marquee rivalry on one of the sport's most celebrated stages, as No. 12 Michigan State takes on No. 20 Michigan, with Saturday's game at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, and in Hockey East, No. 19 Maine visits No. 17 Vermont at Gutterson Field House in Burlington.

The action continues outside the Top 20, as Army hosts Air Force in one of college hockey's most special rivalries, which also happens to be a key series in Atlantic Hockey, as the Falcons continue to duke it out with RIT atop the conference standings. Monday, meanwhile brings the Beanpot at TD Garden in Boston, as reigning NCAA champion Boston University looks to defend its Beanpot title against Harvard, Northeastern, and No. 14 Boston College.

USCHO.com DIVISION I MEN'S POLL

1 Miami
2 Wisconsin
3 Denver
4 North Dakota
5 St. Cloud State
6 Yale
7 Bemidji State
8 Cornell
9 Minnesota Duluth
10 Ferris State
11 Colorado College
12 Michigan State
13 New Hampshire
14 Boston College
15 Massachusetts
16 UMass-Lowell
17 Vermont
18 Union
19 Maine
20 Michigan

RECEIVING VOTES: St. Lawrence, Lake Superior, Notre Dame, Alaska, Minnesota, Quinnipiac, RIT

The nation's No. 1 team is in action for the first time since recapturing that honor, while perennial powers from East and West collide in a series with major NCAA tournament implications. Yeah, it should probably be a pretty good weekend of college hockey.

WCHA SERIES: No. 1 Denver at No. 3 Wisconsin

George Gwozdecky's Pioneers certainly aren't getting an easy matchup for their first action since retaking the No. 1 ranking from Miami two weeks ago. The Badgers lead the nation in scoring margin (1.77), a result of their No. 2 scoring offense (4.05) and No. 7 scoring defense (2.27). The Pioneers don't compare in either category, but have reliably found ways to win, which is what has put them atop the national rankings.

Goaltender Marc Cheverie has been a big part of that, sitting just some .02 percent behind national save percentage leader Cody Reichard of Miami at .932, and allowing 1.97 goals per game, good for third in the country in goals-against average. More often than not, Cheverie's performance has given senior forwards Rhett Rakhshani (15g, 14a) and Tyler Ruegsegger (11g, 16a) and the rest of the DU offense enough to work with to secure a victory.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, has gotten solid goaltending from the junior tandem of Scott Gudmanson (.923 SV%, 2.17 GAA) and Boston University transfer Brett Bennett (.902, 2.1g), but the high-powered offense has been making most of the noise, let by Hobey Baker candidate Brendan Smith, the nation's top scoring defenseman with nine goals and 21 assists in 21 games, numbers that make him No. 6 overall in scoring average. Sophomore forward Derek Stepan has also been hot since returning from Team USA's gold medal effort at the IIHF World Junior Championship, sitting 12th on the national scoring chart with six goals and 21 assists in 20 games. Meanwhile, senior forward Blake Geoffrion has been most adept at putting the puck in then et, with 15 goals in 21 games for a .71 goals-per-game average that's good for fifth nationally.

The home ice advantage for the Badgers could be questionable this weekend. The Kohl Center has been a welcoming environment for Badger alum George Gwozdecky and his Pioneers, who haven't lost a regular-season game there since 2004. Still, Smith, Geoffrion and the other Wisconsin upperclassmen can still remember a 2008 NCAA tournament loss to a Badger team that barely scraped into the field of 16, and with a matchup this big, no one will be taking it lightly.

NON-CONFERENCE SERIES: No. 5 North Dakota at No. 9 Cornell

Dave Hakstol's team is regularly one of the best-traveled in college hockey, but a trip to Lynah Rink in Ithaca is no ordinary road trip. Some 4,000 Big Red fans maybe one of the smaller crowds North Dakota plays in front of (coming out of the WCHA), but they'll also be one of the loudest.

The Big Red, meanwhile, is in a tight spot. Despite their high national ranking, their 2-2-1 non-conference record is less than impressive, with a major missed opportunity in a 3-3 tie with Boston University at Madison Square Garden, and a pair of losses to Colorado College and Princeton at the Florida College Classic. A win against No. 16 New Hampshire, the current Hockey East leader, helps somewhat, but with the WCHA as strong as it is, this year, Cornell needs at least one win this weekend to improve its chances at an NCAA tournament berth. Otherwise, it may be "ECAC Title or Bust" for Mike Schafer's team.

Cornell will have the No. 3 scoring defewnse in the nation on its side, allowing just 2.12 goals per game, as well as the No. 5 power play in the nation (24.3 percent), which features a pair of potent scorers in seniors Blake Gallgher and Colin Greening, who have cooled off a bit from their red-hot start to the season, but are still formidable weapons.

Still, Cornell has scored more than two goals just twice in their last seven games, and North Dakota doesn't figure to make lighting the lamp any easier. NoDak is right behind Cornell and Ferris State among the nation's defensive leaders with 2.25 goals per game, and will provide a different kind of test for Cornell at the other end of the ice, with 11 players scoring in double-digits, led by junior forward Evan Trupp (5g, 15a) and sophomore Jason Gregoire, who has seven assists to go with a team-high 12 goals.

The always-intense Lynah Faithful should be especially fired up for this series: in addition to being a key pair of games against a formidable non-conference opponent, it's also Cornell's first home game since Nov. 24.

NON-CONFERENCE SERIES: No. 4 Minnesota Duluth vs. No. 14 Bemidji State

The Bulldogs are among the nation's hottest teams, with eight wins in their last 10 games, including consecutive sweeps of Colorado College and Minnesota State to enter this home-and-home series with the Beavers on a four-game win streak. The dynamic duo of junior winger Justin Fontaine and sophomore center Jack connolly sits third and fourth, respectively, among the national scoring leaders (1.48 PPG, 1.46 PPG), with junior Rob Bordson (1.25) and sophomore Mike Connolly (1.18) also among the top 31 in the nation. All told, it adds up to the No. 7 scoring offense in the nation.

Bemidji, meanwhile, will counter with the nation's No. 2 scoring defense, allowing 2.05 goals per game. Tom Serratore will have his team looking to slow down the likes of Fontaine, Bordson, and the two (unrelated) Connollys enough for Matt Read (13g, 16a) and the rest of the Bemidji offense to put the Beavers ahead.

As they prepare to join Duluth in the WCHA next season, the Beavers have made the most of their final season in College Hockey America, going 9-1-0 in conference play to lead the five-team league. That lone defeat came at the hands of Niagara last weekend, a reminder that the Beavers aren't immune to losses in conference. As such, a win over the Bulldogs will be key to make sure that Read and company are in good shape come March.

ELSEWHERE

Saturday night promises to be an interesting one in Hockey East, with No. 11 Boston College visiting No. 19 UMass-Lowell, as the River Hawks look to stop their slide after last weekend's pair of losses to No. 15 UMass. Also, those same Minutement welcome No. 17 Vermont to the Mullins Center in Amherst.

With new No. 1 Denver sitting out the weekend, the team the Pioneers unseated took center stage this past weekend, and didn't disappoint.

WINNERS OF THE WEEK

Miami - As shocking as the RedHawks' sweep at the hands of Robert Morris was, the Colonials couldn't change the fact that Miami hasn't lost a CCHA game since falling to Michigan State on October 24. That didn't change on a trip to then-No. 6 Ferris State, as the RedHawks swept the Bulldogs, including a 4-0 shutout on Friday night. All told, the RedHawks rang up nine goals against one of the nation's best defensive teams. The No. 2 RedHawks are on the road again this week, traveling to Alaska.

Lake Superior State - The Lakers swept a pair of games against Nebraska-Omaha over the weekend, and made their first appearance in the USCHO.com Division I rankings since . LSSU struggled early in the season, going six games without a win from October 24 through November 14, but since ending that streak, LSSU has lost just twice, moving into fourth place in the CCHA standings. The schedule is about to pick up significantly, though. This weekend, Jeff Jackson, who coached Lake Superior to NCAA Championships in 1992 and 1994, brings his Notre Dame team to Sault Ste. Marie. The Lakers follow that with a trip to Miami, a home series against Ferris State, and road trips to Alaska and Upper Peninsula rival Northern Michigan to close out the regular season.

UMass - In a battle for state university supremacy with UMass-Lowell, the Minutemen stepped up. Days after head coach Don "Toot" Cahoon felt the need to apologize to the UMass hockey community for his team's performance, the boys from Amherst held the RiverHawks to three goals in two games, and national scoring leader James Marcou had a hand in three of his team's five goals on the weekend. Wins by scores of 3-2 and 2-1 put the Minutemen in third place in Hockey East, just three points behind conference leader New Hampshire.

Minnesota Duluth - Coming off a big sweep of Colorado College at home, the Bulldogs went on the road to Minnesota State and came back with a hard-earned sweep of the Mavericks. Two of Scott Sandelin's players, David Grun and Dylan Olsen, scored their first goals of the season to get the win on Friday in a 2-1 squeaker, and scoresheet regulars Justin Fontaine and Jack Connolly got back in the mix on Saturday ngiht, each having a hand in two of UMD's four goals before Connolly's brother Mike scored an unassisted game-winner in overtime. The Bulldogs have won five straight games in WCHA play, but will step outside the conference this weekend for the last time until the NCAA Tournament.

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT

"This is a very, very young team and it's not there yet." - Michigan State head coach Rick Comley,  

The Spartans may be coming home with just two of a possible six points after a shootout win and a loss against Notre Dame, but it's hard to imagine anyone in East Lansing minding that much given how far the Spartans have come. After an ugly season in 2008-09, and despite the loss of star goalteder Lowe's Senior CLASS Award winner Jeff Lerg to graduation, MSU has regained its strength as a defensive team, allowing almost an entire goal per game less than last season. Meanwhile, junior forward Corey Tropp has led the offense with 17 goals and 18 assists in 26 games, pacing a Spartan offense that's finding the back of the net with greater regularity. With just two seniors on the team this season, the Spartans could just be beginning another run as a force to be reckoned with nationally. In the meantime, even if Comley says the team isn't there yet, the Spartans' fans have plenty to like about where they are.

ON THE HORIZON

Denver gets its first test as the nation's No. 1 team this weekend, as George Gwozdecky will take the Pioneers to his alma mater, Wisconsin, for a battle of two of the WCHA's top teams. The Kohl Center has proved to be friendly territory for the Pioneers, as they haven't lost a regular-season game there since 2004 (they did, however, lose to the Badgers in the 2008 NCAA tournament).

Meanwhile, two other WCHA teams will step out of conference play for key non-conference matchups. No. 4 Minnesota Duluth will play a home-and-home series with future WCHA foe Bemidji State. The No. 14 Beavers are in their final season in College Hockey America before joining the WCHA next season, and are coming off their first conference loss of the season.

Elsewhere, No. 5 North Dakota visits No. 9 Cornell in a pair of games with massive implications for the Big Red. While a Jan. 3 victory at Hockey East leader New Hampshire, the Big Red needs more out-of-conference wins. While the Big Red is a top 10 team in the USCHO.com Division I Rankings, Cornell's 2-2-1 record in nonconference action has the Big Red in need of wins against North Dakota that will pay off at playoff time.

USCHO.com DIVISION I RANKINGS

1 Denver
2 Miami
3 Wisconsin
4 Minnesota-Duluth
5 North Dakota
6 Yale
7 Colorado College
8 Ferris State
9 Cornell
10 Michigan State
11 Boston College
12 St. Cloud State
13 Union
14 Bemidji State
15 Massachusetts
16 New Hampshire
17 Vermont
18 Lake Superior
19 UMass-Lowell
20 Maine

Receiving votes: Michigan, Quinnipiac, Minnesota, Alaska, Notre Dame, St. Lawrence, RIT

The new No. 1 team in the nation, Denver, is sitting out this week, but the games on the schedule more than make up for it. Two series between top ten teams highlight the weekend action, including a former No. 1 trying to return to its winning ways.

CCHA SERIES: No. 2 Miami at No. 6 Ferris State

The RedHawks haven't lost a CCHA game since October 24, but Rico Blasi's team is looking to rebound from a stunning pair of losses to open the 2010 portion of their schedule. Miami, then the No.1 team in the nation, lost both ends of a home-and-home series with Robert Morris, which entered the series with three wins on the season.

Goaltending figures to be the main attraction in this series, with Miami sophomore star Cody Reichard (1.47 GAA, .933 SV%) going up against Ferris State's stellar duo of junior Pat Nagle (1.61 GAA, .938 SV%) and sophomore Taylor Nelson (2.10 GAA, .927 SV%). Those goaltenders form the backbone of two of the top three scoring defenses in the country, with the RedHawks allowing 1.71 goals per game and the Bulldogs allowing 1.91. Ferris State has had the more potent offense, but both teams are among the national leaders in average scoring margin.

Miami will look to get its balanced offense going after scoring just two goals against Robert Morris, with junior forwards Tommy Wingels (10g, 12a) and Carter Camper (10 g, 11a) leading the way. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs will look to senior forward Blair Riley to get things going. Riley extended his point streak to 10 games last weekend in the Bulldogs' sweep of Notre Dame. In fact, the last team to keep Riley off the scoresheet was Miami, in one of two ties the teams played that weekend (Ferris won both postgame shootouts).

WCHA SERIES: No. 3 Wisconsin at No. 8 Colorado College

The Tigers were No. 3 in the country heading when they visited Minnesota Duluth last weekend, but a sweep at the hands of the Bulldogs dropped them down. This week, the Tigers return to Olympic-sized ice of World Arena in Colorado Spings. Other than the home-ice advantage, though, things don't figure to get any easier for the Badgers this week.

Wisconsin is one of only four teams with a higher goal-scoring average than Minnesota Duluth, scoring an even four goals per game, and they will welcome back three players from Team USA's gold-medal effort at the World Junior Championship. The Badgers played an exhibition game against the US National Team Development Program's Under-18 team last weekend, making Friday's game the first Badger action for sophomore forward Derek Stepan and defensemen John Ramage and Jake Gardiner since a 4-3 win at North Dakota on December 12. Stepan leads all Wisconsin forwards in scoring with 22 points (5g, 17a), with only defenseman Brendan Smith (8g, 19a) tallying more.

The Tigers don't have the individual firepower of the Badgers, but had been getting along just fine offensively until the second half began. CC has just five goals in its last three games, all losses. It will be on seniors Bill Sweatt (10g, 12a) and Mike Testwuide (13g, 4a) to jump-start the Tiger offense against a Badger team that's sixth in the nation in scoring defense.

OTHER TOP 20 MATCHUPS

Hockey East features one of its classic rivalries on Friday night, as No. 16 Maine visits No. 12 Boston College at Conte Forum before moving on to face Providence on Saturday night. Gustav Nyquist (13g, 18a) has led the Black Bear resurgence this season, and Nyquist and company will have an opportunity to avenge their last loss. A 4-3 BC win on November 20 was the last time the Black Bears tasted defeat, and the Eagles would love to repeat that effort, having just snapped a three-game losing streak on Tuesday with a win over Providence.

Hockey East action this weekend will also see the battle of UMass, as the No. 19 Minutemen from the flagship campus in Amherst meet the No. 15 River Hawks from UMass-Lowell. The Minutemen feature the nation's scoring leader, junior forward James Marcou (6g, 28a), and sophomore forward Casey Wellman has reaped the benefits, with all but one of his 17 goals this season coming on a Marcou helper. The River Hawks have gotten their offense by committee, with 10 double-digit scoreers five players scoring 17 or more points in 21 games, and three with 20 points, including defenseman Nick Schaus, who ranks No. 4 among defensemen in scoring.

Finally, in a non-conference battle, No. 14 St. Cloud visits No. 17 Quinnipiac at the TD Bank Sports Center. It's a big weekend for the Bobcats, who will host a WCHA opponent in Hamden for the first time, a welcome development that can be attributed to the new arena, which marks its third anniversary later this month. It's also big for the Bobcats' tournament hopes, as Quinnipiac is nowhere to be found in the rankings that mimic the NCAA's despite their national poll ranking. Senior forwards Brandon Wong (12g, 13a) and Eric Lampe (10g, 15a) have cooled off a bit since the Bobcats' hot start, but they still lead a formidable QU offense that is No. 9 in the country in scoring offense. Huskies goaltender Dan Dunn, No. 10 in the nation in save percentage, will have his hands full on Saturday night. The WCHA-ECAC Hockey series could have NCAA tournament implications, as the comparisons between teams in both conferences could be affected by the outcome of the series.