
National polls, and around Hockey East
Notre Dame hasn't played since Jan. 17 - a 3-3 tie at Lake Superior State - but it didn't stop the Irish from remaining No. 1. Notre Dame is undefeated in its last 20 games, and is still on top of both the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports top 20 poll and the USA Today/USA Hockey top 15 poll. No. 2 in the polls is Boston University.
Maine did not receive any votes in either poll this week.
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BU Coach Jack Parker is one win away from earning No. 800, and can reach the milestone when BU plays Friday at Merrimack. If there's a team that's in bad shape in Hockey East (yes, Maine fans, it's possible), it's the Warriors. Merrimack has lost its last five games and is in 10th place in Hockey East. Merrimack lost 3-2 to UMass-Lowell on Saturday, its 10th one-goal loss of the season.
"We find ways (to lose)," Merrimack Coach Mark Dennehy told the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune. "It's unbelievable. We stop doing what we had success with the first two periods. Lowell didn't change how they played; they kept playing the same way. Whatever reason, we get some success and get going and we just stop."
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New Hampshire Coach Dick Umile is well-compensated. In fact, he's the highest-paid state employee in the Granite State. The Manchester Union Leader reported that Umile earns more than $382,000 a year in salary and deferred income.
More than 350 state and University System employees collected more than Gov. John Lynch's $113,537.88 pay in 2008, according to W-2 earnings requested by the New Hampshire Sunday News.
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Denver Coach George Gwozdecky didn't go quietly into that good night. Saturday during a 2-2 tie with North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., the DU coach argued with referee Todd Anderson about a check by Brett Hextall (yes, the son of former NHL goalie Ron Hextall) near the visitor's bench.
DU was called for a bench penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Gwozdecky was given a game misconduct. Gwozdecky left the bench, walked across the ice and had a few words with linesman Andy Carton before leaving the rink. If you don't believe it, here's some footage, via Fox Sports.
Denver University reprimanded Gwozdecky on Monday.
Posted at 11:51 AM
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