Actually they have been covering the championships since at least '85.  I
have the tape of RPI over Providence .... but then the coverage also
included the semis , three total games . That year it included the famous
6-5 OT victory RPI over Minn-D in the Hull n Oates game .... but as I
recall, they did NOT do much with league tourneys.  Now their coverage is
just the NCAA champ game, I believe, without the semis, but PRIME covers
most, if not all, the league tourney championships. So coverage is
actually expanding, at least at the end of season, but ESPN is actually
decreasing .....  someone else may recall more details from early 80s til now.
 
Tony Buffa
RPI '64
 
PS  Is it true that the semis are going to be carried?  If so, they are
back for the first time in several years, I believe.  Are they on the
deuce or ESPN?  We get only ESPN here, so am hoping for the latter.
Anyone know for sure?
 
=========================
 
On Sat, 4 Mar 1995, Michael C. Blanchard Wisconsin Badgers wrote:
 
> Even though their coverage of college hockey is sorely lacking, ESPN has
> indeed covered the national championship game for at least the last eight
> years (Usually but not always live however).
> This year either ESPN or ESPN2 will televise the semifinal game(s) in
> addition to the national championship. This extra coverage was added because
> of the threat of no hockey on ESPN earlier in the year with the NHL strike.