The preseason No. 3-ranked Denver Pioneers climbed to their highest ranking of the season Monday, when they came in at No. 2 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine and U.S. College Hockey Online polls. Minnesota-Duluth, which swept previous No. 1 North Dakota last weekend in Duluth, jumped to No. 1.
Denver (6-2-0) enters a bye week on a six-game winning streak after sweeping its two-game series with Western Michigan last weekend at Magness Arena, and slid ahead of North Dakota, the defending national champion, in the polls. The two teams will play Nov. 11-12 in Grand Forks, N.D.
The Pioneers have been ranked in the top-10 all season, even after an 0-2 start. Since losing to Ohio State and Boston College in the IceBreaker Tournament, DU has swept visiting Boston University, won twice at Michigan State and handled Western Michigan to begin play in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.