Rick O'Donnel writes:
 
:
: (2)  Wasn't there 2 days between last year's 1st round and quarterfinal
:      games?  A bye is an advantage already (and should be), but it seems
:      more fair (to me) to play first round games Thursday, with quarter-
:      finals on Saturday.
 
most hockey east teams play two games each weekend, so i doubt that the
friday night games will adversely affect those teams. in fact, i'd bet that
the teams with friday off might be a little sluggish saturday. i had the
pleasure of watching a maine/merrimack game with cal ingraham's mom and she
said maine players feel they play better on the second night.
 
-jeff