Around college hockey: Western Michigan leads the NPI into Michigan

The best weekend of the young season belongs to Western Michigan, and the NPI already knows it. The Broncos sit No. 1 in the tournament math and get No. 1 Michigan on Friday night. Here's what else moved in the men's game, and the game that matters next for each team.

Western Michigan tops the NPI, then goes to Ann Arbor

The Broncos swept Notre Dame by a combined 10-1, winning 6-1 at home and 4-0 in South Bend with three goals in the first period. That's 4-0 on the year and a 62.70 NPI, first in the country. The USCHO poll has them fifth.

Kessler's read: it's October, so the NPI is mostly telling you who you've beaten. But beating Notre Dame twice that cleanly is a real result, and Friday at Michigan (6-0-0) is a top-five test with both teams unbeaten.

Michigan Tech is 5-1-0 and climbing

The Huskies swept Alaska in Houghton, 3-0 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday with three goals in the third period. They moved from 14th to 11th in the USCHO poll and sit 13th in the NPI.

Kessler's read: the CCHA's best team is playing like it knows it. Friday's trip to Ferris State is the kind of road game that keeps a team on the right side of the bubble in March.

North Dakota hasn't been tested yet

UND blanked Bentley 5-0 twice at Ralph Engelstad Arena and is 4-0, third in the poll. The weekend didn't tell us much about the Fighting Hawks. Friday at Minnesota will.

Kessler's read: the Gophers are still looking for a first win, and I wrote about the pressure on Brett Larson on Monday. A North Dakota win at Mariucci on Friday would make that conversation louder.

Augustana keeps showing up

The Vikings beat Omaha 3-2 in overtime and are 3-0-1, up from 15th to 13th in the poll. They visit Ohio State on Friday.

Kessler's read: a program this young doesn't get many chances at a Big Ten building in October. Win one there and the poll voters will have to stop treating them like a novelty.

Hakstol's first weekend: a sweep at Lowell

Dave Hakstol met his team on Thursday and won twice at UMass Lowell by the weekend. Arizona State built a three-goal lead in the first period on Friday and won 4-2 on Saturday. "My job is to lead this group," Hakstol said.

Kessler's read: when Arizona State hired him, the worry was the timing, a coach arriving in the middle of October. Two road wins in a Hockey East building within three days of meeting the players is a good start. The Sun Devils are off this weekend and host St. Cloud State on Oct. 30.

Kessler's call: Western Michigan wins Friday in Ann Arbor and is still first in the NPI on Monday.