OK, we've discussed several of the formats on this list over the past
    year or so, and it's time for me to abuse the ECAC's quarterfinal
    format.
 
    First of all, most of us seem to agree that the two-game total goals
    format was ridiculous and one of the best things college hockey (DivI
    anyway, as it is still used in DivIII) did was eliminate it.  I believe
    that it is wrong to ask teams to play a different way in the playoffs
    than they have in the regular season.  To that end, although I would
    prefer that Hockey East play a best-of-three, I can live with the
    single-game elimination because it maintains the fact that you have to
    win a game outright to move on.
 
    Saturday night, RPI and Harvard were tied, 3-3, in the second game of
    their series which was led by Harvard, one game to none.  Late in the
    game, RPI had to pull its goalie and try for the *game-winning* goal
    (as opposed to game-tying) because otherwise it would lose the series
    despite tying the game.  And there is no overtime!  Never during the
    regular season would a team be asked to pull its goalie when the game
    is tied.  RPI also had to do this with its best player (Juneau) in
    the box.  Normally, they could have hung on through overtime (he
    would have returned the first minute in).
 
    I think the fact that this had to happen is outrageous and the format
    should be changed.  At the very least, keep the format - but add
    overtime to each of the first two games.  During the regular season,
    a win in overtime is worth as much as a win in regulation, except
    in TCHCR :-).  That should be maintained in the playoffs as well.
    What if RPI had won all 19 of its games in overtime?  Why shouldn't
    they be given an equal chance to win again in overtime?
 
    Now, if the first two games are split, then maybe a minigame could be
    played (although I would prefer a full-length game).  The way it is
    done right now, it is really not far from the despised total goals format
    in structure because of what it requires teams to do: play a different
    game than they played in the regular season.
 
    BTW, I'm not suggesting RPI was done wrong here; you know the format going
    in and you can prepare for it.  Still, I think the nature of this format
    is bad and some changes to it should be made.
 
 
    - mike