Maine Trust for Local News sports columnist Travis Lazarczyk is a voter in the U.S. College Hockey Online men’s poll. Each week, he’ll share his top 20, as well as hit on a few items of interest in the sports.
Western Michigan
Penn State
Boston University
Denver
Minnesota
Maine
Providence
UConn
Michigan State
Boston College
Quinnipiac
Minnesota State
North Dakota
Arizona State
Michigan
UMass
Cornell
Ohio State
St. Thomas
Sacred Heart
Maine comes in at No. 6. The Black Bears were picked fourth in the Hockey East preseason coaches poll. I feel like that’s a couple spots low for the defending conference champion, but acknowledge the conference is the deepest in college hockey and a lot of small things will factor into how it shakes out over the next six months. The return of All-American goalie Albin Boija and strong defensemen like Brandon Holt and Frank Djurasevic is a plus for the Black Bears. The question will be on offense, where a slew of newcomers join the forward group. After an exhibition game against rival New Hampshire on Oct. 3 at Bowdoin College, Maine opens the regular season at home on Oct. 10 against Holy Cross.
Defending champs open at No. 1. I voted Western Michigan No. 1, and not just because the Broncos are defending national champion. Western Michigan was picked as the top team in the National College Hockey Conference preseason poll, picking of 19 of 30 first place votes. The Broncos return Owen Michaels, the MVP of the Frozen Four who scored 18 goals last season, as well as goalie Hampton Slukynsky, who posted a .922 save percentage and 1.90 goals against average last season.