The CCHA petitioned the NCAA *one more time* and guess what? The NCAA
changed its mind! They are going to let the CCHA teams count their 32
league games as "in writing", thus allowing them to go over the 34 game
limit. To affect a team, it must have scheduled more than 2 non-league
games this season and have a written contract to prove it.
 
I only know of two teams that had >2 in writing, but there may be more.
Michigan State will be going to the LA Tourney and BG will be completing
its two-year deal with North Dakota by travelling to the land of the Sioux.
 
This will affect schedules around the country, certainly. I hear that
Notre Dame is scrambling to add some more CCHA opponents. Any word
on Merrimack and Western Michigan getting together now?
 
Finally, the CCHA petitioned the NCAA alone on this, so the ruling do NOT
automatically apply to the WCHA.
 
Keith