NCAA Hockey rankings 2012: Notre Dame No. 9 in latest poll

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are No. 9 in the latest poll from U.S. College Hockey Online. Notre Dame was 2-0 at the time the poll was compiled, which helped them move up five spots from No. 14. Since the 2-0 start, the Irish dropped a game to No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth on Oct. 18, though they bounced back to beat Minnesota-Duluth in a rematch the following day.

Minnesota holds the No. 1 spot, and the Gophers received 46 of 49 first-place votes. North Dakota, Boston College, Miami (Ohio) and Michigan round out the top five.

Here is the complete USCHO poll (first place votes in parentheses):

1. Minnesota (46)
2. North Dakota (1)
3. Boston College (2)
4. Miami (Ohio)
5. Michigan
6. Cornell
7. Denver
8. Union (N.Y.)
9. Notre Dame
10. Massachusetts-Lowell
11. Boston University
12. Western Michigan
13. Minnesota-Duluth
14. Northeastern
15. New Hampshire
16. Ferris State
17. Harvard
17. Northern Michigan
19. Colorado College
20. Quinnipiac

Wisconsin, Merrimack, Michigan State and Maine dropped out of this week's rankings. Northeastern, New Hampshire, Northern Michigan and Colorado College were the new entrants in the poll.

Up next for Notre Dame is a pair of road games against Northern Michigan, the first of which is scheduled for Oct. 26.