At 11:52 AM 2/17/99 -0600, Jim Evans wrote:
 
> As always, HE and
>the ECHA are given too much credit. Throughout this season I feel that 3 of
>the top 5 teams in the country are in the CCHA.
 
Again, it all comes down to opinion and perspective. My perspective this
season comes from the fact that I see the WCHA once or twice weekly in
person and another once or twice on TV, and my favorite team (BU) is
playing below .500 for the first time in 10 years.
 
If there's one league that never seems to get proper respect even in its
best years, it's the ECAC. They certainly aren't given "too much credit."
 
As for Hockey East...
 
For this season, if there were a single year to say that HEA is the
strongest of any conference I really don't know where else to look, with
the possible exception of last year.
 
Granted BU is rebuilding and suffered player losses (graduation, early-NHL,
defection, or bad attitude), but nonetheless BU was one of the best in the
country last year and an overtime goal away from the Frozen Four. Now
they're playing 4 games below .500 for the first time in a decade.
 
Obviously nobody would argue against the strength of Maine or UNH, and few
would argue against BC's strength. The Eagles may not be top 5, but they're
unquestionably top 10. Few would argue that one, even BU fans.
 
Yet all three teams have faced off and struggled or lost against BU this
season, and not because these teams are overrated -- rather, it goes to
show how strong Hockey East really is.
 
This season BU has played teams in the current (2/15) USCHO poll 12 times;
by the end of the year that number will be raised to 15 times. As it
stands, BU has a record of 4-6-2 against USCHO teams (see end of message).
Against the top 10 they've gone 3-4-2.
 
This from a team with a 6-10-3 conference record, and 11-15-3 overall? I
don't know too many other teams with losing records that are barely under
.500 against the top 10.
 
Sounds like the toughest conference around to me.
 
 
greenie
 
 
 
BU vs USCHO poll teams:
 
 
 
RPI     overtime loss
UNH     tie
UNH     loss
BC      loss
BC      win
Clark   loss
SLU     win
OSU     win
Pton    loss
Maine   loss
BC      win
UNH     tie
Maine   ??
Maine   ??
BC      ??
 
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