I'll comment on the WCHA.  I'm sitting up here at Stevens Point and don't
follow them as closely as I follow the NCHA, but I maintain an interest, watch
televised games, follow scores, etc.
 
It seems to me there are two stories in the WCHA this year.  One is the
dominance of Minnesota.  When you have a lot of intraleague games and one or
two dominant teams, a larger proportion than normal will have losing records.
NMU didn't quite live up to expectations, Wisconsin overachieved a little on
the shoulders of Dirksen, and Minn dominated.  Now add in the second story,
Colorado College.  This is a perinneal have-not that has come on.  They may
have a losing record, but not by much, and a fair number of their losses came
early in the season (probably against non-league opponents, too, but I can't
really remember).  They move up and knock off others who typically beat them
giving more balance to the lower 6 teams.  Also add in North Dakota who in the
past has done very well and is typically up towards the top having a bad year
and, voila, you have the unusual standings in the WCHA.
 
It looks to me like the CCHA may be the class this year, but there are good
teams in all parts of the country (even Alaska) and I don't think you'll find
an unbalanced Quatre Finis.
 
Tom Rowe                      INTERNET:
UWSP Dept. of Psychology      [log in to unmask]
Stevens Point, WI  54481      *****************************
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