The 2020-21 pre-season coaches polls for both men’s and women’s ice hockey were released by the Hockey East Association on Friday morning.
On the men’s side, Boston College was tabbed as the favorites for the upcoming campaign. The Eagles took eight first place votes, coming off a regular season title last season with a final record of 24-8-2 (17-6-1 Hockey East). In spots 2-11 are UMass, Providence, UMass-Lowell, Northeastern, BU, UConn, UNH, Maine, Merrimack, and Vermont. The Black Bears were 18-11-5 last season (12-9-3 HE), and would of hosted a quarterfinal playoff series at the Alfond for the first time since 2015 before the rest of the season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Maine is scheduled to open their season at home against #7 UMass next Friday night 11/20 at 7 p.m.
On the women’s side, reigning Hockey East champion Northeastern got nine first place votes to gain the top of the poll. NU went 32-4-2 (24-3-0 HE) in 2019-20. They are followed by BU, BC, UConn, Providence, UNH, Maine, Vermont, Merrimack, and Holy Cross. The Hockey East top seeded Huskies knocked the #7 Black Bears out of the conference playoffs last season in the semifinal round, after Maine had upset BU in the quarters. Maine is coming off a 15-14-8 record last season, 9-11-7 in HE and is scheduled to begin their season next Friday night at Holy Cross.
