North Dakota Skates into Pre-season as Top Ranked Hockey Team

Surprise! The defending national champions from the University of North Dakota are the top ranked team in the Pre-season USCHO.com Division I Men’s Hockey Poll.

Not as if it wasn't expected, but the UND Fighting Hawks received 43 of 50 first-place votes to wrap up a preseason No. 1 ranking for the first time since the 2006-07 season.

Quinnipiac and Denver, who were also in last year’s NCAA Frozen Four with UND, are ranked second and third, respectively. Quinnipiac received one first-place vote, with fourth-ranked Boston University receiving 5, and fifth-ranked Boston College receiving the other leftover first-place votes.

Saturday will be the first exhibition game for the Fighting Hawks against the University of Manitoba. UND's season openers will take place October 7th and 8th on their home ice against Canisius.

Source: KFGO