On 3/30/2005 7:58:23 PM, [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Sean Pickett wrote:
>
> .
> If these two regionals fail, then not only are any regionals going to be
> at campus sites, most of them are going to be on the big ice surface,
> since the largest WCHA arenas, other than North Dakota, also have
> Olympic (or near Olympic, in the case of Madison) ice.
>
> J. Michael Neal



If what you predict is true, that's a giant screw job on the Eastern teams.
Someone pointed out (either here or on USCHO) that IIRC ~50 of the 58 D-1
teams play on NHL size ice.  And of the big surfaces, the vast majority of
those 8 are out west.  So, combine the fact that there is a huge distance
issue between schools out west, with their campus rinks having larger ice,
and you put the west at a tremendous competitive advantage.

The east can easily fill 8000 at a neutral regional - we have the density.
(see Worcester this year, or providence or Manchester in past years)  The
West can't and so they have to go to campus sites for money reasons.  Which,
then gives the natural advantage of much more frequently playing on the
giant sheet (assuming the above stat is correct).

Someone posted in the last few days that we in the east ought to shell out
the dough to upgrade rinks to the Olympic size since it's what the NCAA
promotes.  I think the better suggestion is that at minimum, the Western
teams SHRINK their rinks to NHL size.  Not only is it a lot cheaper than
expansion, but 1) If you believe Wodon's USCHO article, the NCAA is removing
the preference for Olympic ice from the rulebook - evidently it's an
artifact, and 2) Since there is a predominance of them out west, and it
therefore provides campus-rink advantage as I stated above, then either
shrink em or don't be given a regional.  If you want a regional, find a
normal size sheet to play it on.



Sick and tired of the Western folks taking advantage of the fact that they
don't live in any geographic proximity to each other and happen to have some
big seating rinks - which clearly gives competitive advantage at least on
some rotating basis.  Again, as Cornell and then Michigan grad, I've seen it
both ways.  It wasn't right when underdog UMich beat UND in '98 at Yost, and
it wasn't right this year when UMinn was at home and it won't be right when
UND is at home next year.  So stop defending the crappy system just because
it gives you an advantage you enjoy.  Or at least admit that it's a crappy
system but that you DO get an advantage.



And for all you gopher freaks, Minnesota does not win that game against
Cornell at Lynah.  Not a chance in hell, or even overtime.



Arik