OTTAWA — The reigning national-champion University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds top the CIS men’s hockey rankings for the ninth time in as many polls this season.
The Varsity Reds (13-2-1) received 14 of 17 first-place votes, and 167 points from the national media panel in the first Top 10 of 2012 to keep their lead on the McGill Redmen (15-1-2), who earned the remaining first-place nods and 146 points from the panel to remain No. 2 for the seventh straight ranking period.
Third-ranked Western Ontario (15-1-2), No. 6 Moncton (11-5-0), No. 7 Lakehead (15-3-0), No. 9 Manitoba (12-4-2) and No. 10 UQTR (14-5-1) also stay put in the new Top 10. Alberta (13-3-2) moves past Saskatchewan (13-3-2) into fifth place, and previously unranked Acadia (11-5-1) earns the No. 8 spot.
UNB, coached by Bedeque native Gardiner MacDougall, went a perfect 4-for-4 since the last weekly poll in early December. Spencer Corcoran of Sherbrooke plays for UNB.
The V-Reds outscored Ottawa 7-4 and 8-4 over the holidays in a pair of non-conference contests in Fredericton, and then resumed Atlantic University Sport play this past weekend with home wins over St. Francis Xavier, 5-2, and Saint Mary’s, 3-2.
The University Cup champs are set to battle Saint Mary’s (10-7-1) and St. Francis Xavier (5-9-3) again on Friday and Saturday, this time in Nova Scotia.
The UPEI Panthers received three votes.
Thanx PUCKMAN I did not know this. It seems to be a very convoluted way of assessing placement. Anyway, UNB has a fine team and I love to watch them play, especially with Spencer Corcoran playing and being coached by Gardiner macDougall, both Island boys. I wish university hockey would get more coverage but I guess they don't fight enough for sports writers.Only true hockey fans follow intercollegiate hockey. Shame, they're missing out on some good hockey.