Around college hockey: Colorado College sends No. 10 UMass home 0-2

Opening weekend is when the preseason poll meets the schedule, and the schedule usually wins a couple. This year Colorado College did the loudest damage, and nobody in Amherst saw it coming. Here's what mattered.

Colorado College sends No. 10 UMass home 0-2

UMass came into the year at No. 10 in the USCHO preseason poll, up from 16, with 453 points. Colorado College swept them 2-0 and 6-1 at Ed Robson Arena. Jackson Unger stopped all 32 shots Friday, then 22 of 23 Saturday. By our count that's 54 saves on 55 shots, and UMass was outscored 8-1 for the weekend.

Greg Carvel didn't hide from it. "I don't really mind coming out here and getting humbled," he said.

Kessler's read: CC isn't in the top 20 and should be by Monday. UMass gets RIT at home next weekend, which is the right medicine.

No. 19 Michigan Tech beats No. 14 Minnesota at the Mac

Matthew Van Blaricom scored twice, including the third-period winner, and Owen Bartoszkiewicz made 29 saves in a 3-2 win in Houghton. It was his 35th career win. Minnesota outshot Tech 31-28 and still left with nothing.

Kessler's read: the Gophers' new era starts with a lesson every Big Ten team learns in October. The MacInnes is a tough barn. They get a rematch Sunday afternoon.

Quinnipiac scores 16 in two nights

The Bobcats, No. 7 in the preseason poll, beat New Hampshire 10-2 Friday and No. 20 Merrimack 6-3 Saturday, both at home. That's 16 goals in two games by our count.

Kessler's read: ten goals against anybody in Division I is a statement. Quinnipiac looks like the team to beat in the ECAC.

Denver and Michigan take care of business

No. 1 Denver won 6-2 and 4-1 at Alaska Anchorage. No. 2 Michigan beat Bowling Green 7-2 at home, then had to hang on for a 4-3 win in Bowling Green on Saturday.

Kessler's read: a sweep on the road is all you ask of the No. 1 team in week one. Michigan's Saturday scare is the kind of game that helps more in March than it hurts now.

Arizona State splits at Lindenwood

ASU opened with a 5-0 shutout, then lost 9-6 the next night. For a program working through the off-ice questions I covered in ASU's outside review, a split on the road is a fair start. Nine goals against is not.

Kessler's read: the Sun Devils can score. The second night says the defense still needs work.

Next up

The USCHO poll updates after the weekend, and CC should jump in. The rest of the slate is on our college hub.