About going into Boston:
 
It is almost impossible to get season tickets a BU. The ones you might be
able to get are not very good. They don't have great site lines at Walter
Brown. There is quite a waiting list for the premier seats.
 
At home, BC has Notre Dame and Minnesota (2 games) on their non-conference
schedule. They see Maine and UNH twice but only see BU once. They have a
gigantic rink but many, many seats are quite far from the ice. Its not easy
to get to from Andover but you could avoid going into Boston. It might be a
40 minute commute ... probably more in a weeknight rush hour. You would see
all the HockeyEast teams plus you would get to see BC every game ... which
isn't too shabby. It may be worth the commute. Ticket are likely about
$10-12
 
On going north to UNH:
 
Well, its over 45 miles ... but all highway and should be a predictable
commute.  At home, they've got Miami and LSSU coming in as well as Clarkson.
They only see BU and BC once each but have Maine in twice. They've got a
pretty solid fan base and center ice seats will be impossible to get ...
probably impossible to get on the sides anywhere. But, the end seats are
really good. They have great site lines and a really nice rink ... although
you have to walk a bit for parking which can be quite tough on cold nights
(why don't they build a heated foot bridge over to the parking lot in a
direct line instead of making people walk back to the road and over that
bridge ... then in to the rink again?). Tickets are the most expensive in
HockeyEast - $16
 
On staying local (5 minute drive or less to Merrimack ... or 10-15 to
Lowell)
 
Merrimack has had probably the coldest rink in the league but the fans are
right on top of the action. They have a new heating system as well as some
new clear boards I believe. (Anyone seen these yet?) They don't have a very
good non-conference slate at home (St. Lawrence twice, Yale and Niagara).
They see UNH and BU once but Maine and BC come in twice. Tickets are only
$8. The campus is nice but parking is very limited and you may have to walk
a ways .
 
IMHABO*, Lowell is absolutely your best bet. They have the second largest
capacity to only BC. They have a similar style of rink to UNH with great
site lines and every seat is decent. They don't have such a solid fan base
yet and its still likely that you can get some sideline seats. Its
considered the "premier" facility in HockeyEast. Tickets are still only $8
(less than $7 when you get season ticket). Parking is $3 in a
tough-to-get-out-of garage but additional lot parking is being built (right
out front) and should make a big difference. The rink is less than a year
old. The non-conference slate has Rensselaer, Clarkson and the Governor's
Cup tourney (2 nights of back-to-back games between Lowell, UNH, Maine and
Vermont). They see UNH and Maine once more each in league action and BU and
BC come in twice each also.
 
IMHABO* = In My Honest Albeit Biased Opinion
 
My ranking would be as follows.
1- Lowell
2- BC (do BC season ticket holders get seats to Beanpot Tourney in Fleet
Center?)
3- UNH
4- Merrimack
5- BU
 
Good luck
 
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