Here's how the CCHA came up with their 91-2 schedule (before the NCAA
f***ed it up):
 
1. First decide on the format. Easy, use the same 2 series per opponent
   that they have been using since 84-5. (32 league games)
2. Coaches & ADs from each school fill out a preference sheet. "We don't
   want to be home over Thanksgiving, we have non-league games with North
   Dakota schedule on this date, no home hockey on the same day as home
   football, etc.", things like that. Lake Superior's biggest beef is
   playing on the road 2 weeks in a row (like at Miami then at Chicago), for
   example.
3. The league office comes up with several (6, I think, this year)
   different schedules.  The ADs vote and pare this down to 3, based on
   how "good" the schedule is.  A good schedule will balance home and
   away games throughout the year and will meet as many preferences
   from #2 as possible. Next year, the league may consider average
   travelling distance to find the "best" schedule.
4. Another vote is taken later to go from 3 to 1. This year, there were
   two good ones so another tie-breaking vote was needed to choose the
   final schedule.
5. Teams could then customize their schedules a bit. For example, since BG &
   Western Michigan are 3 hours apart, they don't normally play
   home-and-home, but if both schools agree, then they can (which they
   are doing this year, btw.) Games get moved to Tuesdays, too, for example.
 
This year, things are a bit worse though. At step 4.5, the NCAA changed
when the season could start and when it would end (the NCAA tourney format
changed afterall). The CCHA had to swap some weeks: week #1's games were
moved to December or something crazy like that. Thus, the "good" schedule
voted on in step #4 doesn't exist in whole any more. Plus, with all the
wild re-scheduling of non-league games (re: Minn/Michigan), the CCHA
schedule is pretty messy.
 
Keith
PS This weekend in the Windy City, the big wigs around the league are
deciding on step #1 for the 92-3 season.........