A win and a tie against powerful Denver over the weekend gave a much-needed lift to Providence College's hopes of earning a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
The Friars (8-6-4) moved up to 22nd in the PairWise, the formula used by the NCAA in selecting the 16-team tournament field.
Unbeaten in its last five games (3-0-2), PC has a lot of work to do but is within striking distance as long as they keep winning. The Friars can't afford many more losses as they head into the final 16 games of the season.
The Friars play eighth-ranked Boston College in a Hockey East game at Fenway Park on Saturday, then conclude their non-conference schedule with a visit to Yale on Tuesday night.