Observations about UAF schedule posted to Info-Hockey-L probably mostly of
interest to CCHA fans...
 
1. With UIC gone we were originally scheduled for 15 home and 12 road CCHA
games.  We have given up one home game to Michigan and will now play one
game there.  It seems unfortunate that we have lost a Saturday night home
game against the defending national champions.  I think that was a
guaranteed sell out while Thursday normally isn't.  We will need to fill
the building that Thursday night.  Is the CCHA planning to reciprocate by
sending Michigan up here for a single game in 1997-98?  Perhaps they should
be planning for a stop in Anchorage and a two game series against UAA on
the way.  Or the Wolverines could put in an appearance at Anchorage's
revived hockey tournament and then play one CCHA game in Fairbanks.
 
2. There will be no repeat of Western Michigan's experience on the final
weekend of last season here before the CCHA playoffs in which they dropped
two straight to Bowling Green and then their opener in the NCAA tournament.
 UAF wraps up the season at home on February 23.  Does Ferris State take
the final week off as well?
 
3. An obvious effort was made to change the Thursday-Saturday three game
home series that nobody here liked.  We now have 1 Thursday-Saturday, 1
Thursday-Friday, and 3 Friday-Sunday series with Sunday's games played at 6
pm.  Did visiting CCHA teams dislike Thursday-Saturday series as much as
folks up here?
 
4. We are playing two additional home series compared to last year, but
they are against Lethbridge from Canada and Divison III St. Norbert.  Don't
know if that's all we could get on the schedule on short notice or what.  I
would have liked to see Mankato come up in their debut Division I season.
 Somebody passed on getting two extra games for coming up to Alaska.
 
5. This will be the first time in at least 5 years we won't be playing a
game on Thanksgiving.  Miss the tournament we used to have, but now we can
stay home and enjoy the whole holiday and the players can as well.  Anybody
know if Lake State will be in town for Thanksgiving before their games on
the weekend?
 
6. Unless it's really cold at Thanksgiving and it was close to -50 then two
years ago, only Ohio State has much shot at seeing -40 or colder.  Anyone
coming next December from there up for a barbecue sometime December 13 to
15?  The food cooks, but you run in and out to get it really fast!  Looks
like the Wolverines miss out after all on their chance at being frozen
before hitting the ice.
 
7. The Nanooks play 5 games in 9 days four times, twice at home, once on
the road, and once a mix.  That's probably not so bad, but also 7 games in
the opening 15 days, then 8 in 17 in November-December.  Not to mention 4
3-game home series and 4 road trips to the rest of the CCHA.  Also not a
single weekend off from January 10 to February 23.  Anybody else have to do
all that?  And visiting teams don't like to come up here once?  Hope the
Nanooks are well conditioned!
 
8. As for earlier observations about playing at Michigan State three games.
 We've snuck out with a win the last two trips down.  Can we do it again
now that we're in the CCHA for real when we're in East Lansing?  It should
be fun to find out and meet our friends there again either way.
 
Only 4 more months to go!
 
BTW who plays the actual season opening Division I hockey game?  And I mean
not counting exhibitions.  I'd sure promote that game for being the opener
if it were up to me.
 
Eric Carlson
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