Staff writer Chad Purcell ranks the WCHA through games played Sunday

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1. North Dakota (24-8-3, 19-6-1; 39 points; 1st place)

Last results: 5-2 W, 5-1 W vs. Bemidji State.

Next weekend: at Michigan Tech. Sioux on Sunday locked up the MacNaughton Cup. Can they stay sharp the next two weeks, when they'll conclude the regular season and open the playoffs against lowly Tech?

2. Denver (20-9-5, 16-7-3; 35 points; 2nd place)

Last results: 5-2 L, 4-2 W at UNO.

Next weekend: vs. St. Cloud State. Pios can't explain their erratic 4-4-0 February record. But anyone who watched Saturday's game in Omaha saw a Denver team that's capable of winning an NCAA title.

3. UNO (20-12-2, 16-8-2; 34 points; 3rd place)

Last results: 5-2 W, 4-2 L vs. Denver.

Next weekend: at Minnesota Duluth. The good news is that the Mavs are 8-4-0 since mid-January, with wins over UND, St. Cloud, Wisconsin, Anchorage and Denver. The bad? UNO is a dreadful 3 for 48 on the man advantage since Jan. 22. It's cause for concern, for sure, going into March.

4. Minnesota Duluth (19-8-6, 14-7-5; 33 points; 4th place)

Last results: 5-4 L, 3-3 T at Colorado College.

Next weekend: vs. UNO. Dogs definitely aren't surging into the playoffs. Since sweeping Tech in mid-January, they've gone just 2-3-3. They're also a chintzy 2-3-2 at home since moving into their glitzy $80 million new rink.

5. Minnesota (15-12-5, 12-10-4; 28 points; 5th place)

Last results: 5-2 W, 5-2 W vs. Michigan Tech.

Next weekend: at Bemidji State. Gophers building up steam — but very curious to see how they perform during a sure-to-be-hyped visit to the Beavers' new rink. Minny's only prior trip to Bemidji was back in October 2000.

6. Colorado College (18-15-3, 12-12-2; 26 points; 6th place)

Last results: 5-4 W, 3-3 T vs. Minnesota Duluth.

Next weekend: at Wisconsin. Clutch three-point home weekend against Duluth keeps Tigers' home playoff hopes alive. Two more points now at Wisconsin and CC can't finish lower than sixth.

7. St. Cloud State (14-15-5, 10-12-4; 24 points; 8th place)

Last results: 4-2 W, 7-3 W vs. Wisconsin.

Next weekend: at Denver. Tough trip to the Rockies figures to keep dangerous Huskies from a top-six league finish. But they'll only have themselves, and that miserable 5-11-2 first half, to blame.

8. Wisconsin (19-13-4, 11-12-3; 25 points; 7th place)

Last results: 4-2 L, 7-3 L at St. Cloud State.

Next weekend: vs. Colorado College. The bottom has fallen out big-time on the Badgers, who went winless (0-5-1) in February. Still, this home showdown with CC should be a fun series. These teams obviously have a ton to play for, both in the WCHA standings and the Pairwise.

9. Minnesota State (14-14-6, 8-14-4; 20 points; T-10th place)

Last results: 3-1 W, 6-2 L vs. Minnesota Duluth (Feb. 18-19).

Next weekend: vs. Alaska Anchorage. The only WCHA team to have the weekend off, the Violet Mavs should be rested and ready to handle the Seawolves and build momentum before opening the playoffs on the road.

10. Bemidji State (12-16-4, 8-14-4; 20 points; T-10th place)

Last results: 5-2 L, 5-1 L at North Dakota.

Next weekend: vs. Minnesota. Dan Bakala — the goalie who morphs into Patrick Roy when he plays UNO — has given up 18 goals in four games against the Sioux and nine in three games against St. Cloud.

11. Alaska Anchorage (12-17-3, 10-14-2; 22 points; 9th place)

Last results: 5-1 L, 4-1 W vs. Alaska (Fairbanks).

Next weekend: at Minnesota State. Seawolves' awful 3-10-0 road record makes them the second most-desired first-round playoff opponent behind Michigan Tech.

12. Michigan Tech (4-26-4, 2-22-2; 6 points; 12th place)

Last results: 5-2 L, 5-2 L at Minnesota.

Next weekend: vs. North Dakota. With four straight games looming against the Sioux, it's safe to put the fork in the Huskies (not that there wasn't reason to do so earlier). Stunning Feb. 18 win at Denver, at least, provided Tech a ray of sunshine in another stormy season.

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