On the subject of the season records distributed by UPSIDA (nice
service, folks--thank you!), I was wondering:
 
Joe Frederick of NMU was not listed among the goals-per-game leaders.
Now, I assume this is because the 14 games he missed with injuries meant
he didn't make the "skaters must play in 75% of their teams' games"
criterion.  (Frederick would have been third, I think, in gpg had his
stats counted.) OK, but if that's the case, then why IS he listed in the
short-handed goals category? Because you can't ignore a national leader?
Anyway, I'm sure all Wildcat fans are glad to see "Shorthanded Joe" get
some recognition.
 
On the issue of the NC$$ first-round byes and the foundering of all four
WCHA teams in their second games this year, my comments are (1) Yes, it
may have made a difference that they had to play the night before, and
(2) "What's your point?" Even though I root for a team which may have
been particularly affected by the setup, given NMU's double-overtime
game with Harvard the night before it played BU, I have to remember that
you get a more favorable playoff schedule because you earned it withyour
regular season performance.  I remember back in the dim past when I
followed the Cincinnati Royals NBA team when they had the likes of Oscar
Robertson, Jerry Lucas, et al.  A great team--but they never overcame
the Celtics in the playoffs, largely because the Celts were virtually
unbeatable in the Boston Garden in those days.  Royals (and all other
teams') fans would moan about how lousy it was that the Celtics always
had that seemingly insurmountable home-court advantage in the playoffs.
But one of the Celtics said, "That's why we play the entire 80 games of
the regular season--to get home court advantage in the playoffs." They
earned it, and they deserved it.  (teeth gnashing, nonetheless!)
 
 **********************************************************************
 *  Steve Christopher, NMU  [log in to unmask]             * * * *    *
 *  NCAA Division I Hockey National Champions  1990-91   *  WE'VE *   *
 *  NCAA Division I Hockey Final Eight 1991-92           *  ONLY  *
 *  NCAA Division I Hockey Final Eight 1992-93           *  JUST  *
 *  WCHA League Champions 1990-91                        * BEGUN! *   *
 *  WCHA Playoff Champions 1988-89/1990-91/1991-92         * * * *    *
 **********************************************************************