Sweep propels Pioneers back to No. 1

The NCAA defending national champion and preseason No. 1ranked University of Denver regained the top spot in both hockey polls Monday. The Pioneers, who lost the top ranking a week ago after losing twice at Western Michigan, have now been ranked No. 1 in seven of eight weeks.

DU is coming off 4-2 and 5-1 victories over previously undefeated St. Cloud State, which inherited the No. 1 ranking last Monday. The Pioneers (6-2-2) received 43 of 50 first-place votes in the U.S. College Hockey Online poll and 25 of 34 first-place votes in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.

St. Cloud State (7-2-0), North Dakota (7-2-3), and Notre Dame (8-3-1) are second, third and fourth in both polls. Denver, which is a combined 3-0-1 against St. Cloud State and Notre Dame, hosts North Dakota for a marquee National Collegiate Hockey Conference series this weekend at Magness Arena.

Upstart Colorado College (7-5) is receiving votes in both polls. The Tigers are a win shy of what they amassed all of last season (824-4) and have already eclipsed the amount of victories they had in each of coach Mike Haviland’s first two seasons. CC travels to St. Cloud State for a two-game NCHC series this weekend.

Footnotes. DU forwards Henrik Borgstrom (1.89), Troy Terry (1.80) and Dylan Gambrell (1.60) ranked first, second and fifth nationally in points-per game, and Borgstrom leads the country with 11 goals. The Pioneers are ranked second in goals-pergame (4.20) behind Northeastern (4.30). Northeastern is 6-3-1. … DU coach Jim Montgomery and his wife, Emily, are expecting their fourth child. Emily is due Nov. 21.