Tony Buffa stated:
 
> Unfortunately, it is lack of interconference play by the two western
> leagues that have helped create some of the muddiness, IMHO.  While the
> ECAC teams can play up to 10 out of 32 games out of conference (teams like
> Clarkson and RPI do) which is about 30%, and HE is similar, I think the
> CCHA and WCHA play a smaller out of league percentage. It would be nice if
> all teams went to the max of 34, that would allow some of the ECAC and HE
> teams to play the western teams, assuming the western leagues would cut
> down the league schedule a bit.  I have not a clue if this is possible,
> probably not, but IMHO it would be nice for Div I hockey if this were
> considered.
 
I don't think that the fault lies with the ECAC for its 32-game limit
as this still leaves, as Tony stated, 10 games for out-of-conference
opponents.  (The Ivys' limit is anothing thing.)  To use RPI as an
example, they used one of their 10 games for McGill from Canada.  I
suspect that they would have preferred to play a western team but could
not schedule any late in the year when the limit was changed from 30
to 32 games in the ECAC.  I have long suspected that RPI's travel
budget does not allow for more than one trip out west per year (and
none in some years), but it certainly would not have been difficult
for them to have played one game vs Colorado College and one against
the Air Force instead of two against the Air Force.  I assume that CC
had no room for an out-of-conference opponent.  Then again, maybe RPI
did not want to face one of the top teams in the nation.
 
I agree with Tony, and all those who have said so in the past, that
the western leagues should limit their in-conference schedules.  It
would benefit college hockey as a whole.
 
P.S. If anyone has been trying to send me mail for the last few days
and it has bounced, pleased be advised that the address
[log in to unmask] is no longer valid.  Our beloved VAX has
finally gone to its resting place.  This was actually supposed to
happen last October, but delays caused it to happen over the weekend.
I can now be reached at [log in to unmask] or equivalently at
[log in to unmask]  Abyss is an alias for i7140a.  If things
work correctly (and I remain the only "baer" at NRL), mail to
[log in to unmask] should also arrive at the correct place.
[log in to unmask] should also work.
 
Ralph Baer
RPI '68, '70, '74