William Paterson University ranked #1 in the Northeast

Wayne, NJ- The second ranking of the season is in and the William Paterson University Ice Hockey team is ranked #1 in the Northeast region.

     The rankings were for games played through November 22, and after a slow start and being ranked #5 through the first ranking period which ended 10/31 the Pioneers went undefeated in November. During that stretch in November some of the more notable wins for the Pioneers included a win over #2 in the central Davenport who are the two-time defending national champions, #2 in the Northeast BC whom the Pioneers had lost to earlier in the season. The Pioneers also defeated #3 in the northeast UNH and their win versus #1 in the northeast Siena. The turnaround can be attributed to a commitment to team defense which saw the Pioneers improve their team goals against average as well as the Pioneers have cut their penalties per game during this last ranking period.

     This #1 ranking comes almost 1 year to the date that the Pioneers were ranked #1 for the first time in their 35 year history. The Pioneers finished last season as the number 2 team in the Northeast and received their first auto-bid to Nationals.

 
     William Paterson received 12 first place votes while the number two team earned three.    The 3^rd ranking period ends December 20^th and during this next ranking period the Pioneers will have their work cut out for them heading into winter break.  The Pioneers will play their final home game of the semester on December 4^th versus #9 CCSU while the next night the Pioneers will head the 8 miles to #6 Montclair State on the 5^th and the Pioneers will finish out the semester at #4UNH.