Can the standings get any tighter than they are right now? Just five points separate second place Mercyhurst from tenth place RIT. Aside from Niagara (who pretty much have the top spot all but sealed up) and AIC and Sacred Heart (both stuck at the bottom of the standings), every other team has a shot of getting a first round bye. Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley summed it up perfectly:

1 point out of 4th..1 point from 10th. Huge game in hand on Tuesday. 4 points out of 2nd with 3 games vs state rival mercyhurst @rmuhockey

— Derek Schooley (@derekschooley) February 3, 2013

All of this leads to some huge games this week. It all starts on Tuesday when Robert Morris host Mercyhurst. The Lakers will then host Air Force over the weekend, potentially with second place on the line. Bentley and UConn also play a pair this weekend, with the Huskies looking to move up the standings. The Colonials will finish the week with a pair against RIT. All the games could provide major shakeups in the standings.

Niagara continues to make noise on the national scene. The Purple Eagles are ranked No. 15 in the USCHO poll, up from No. 17 thanks to a sweep at Bentley.

With just a few weeks left, every point is important. It’s going to be fun last few weeks. Let’s all enjoy it.

Monday, February 4th, 2013 - 4:07 pm | Atlantic Hockey