Arthur Mintz writes:
>>Mike Machnik responds:
>>Actually, it is...already, they feel that the ice towards the latter
>>stages of the 5-min OT is bad enough, and that extending the time the
>>game would be played on that ice any more would certainly require
>>making ice.  I tend to agree.
>
>Aren't "they" the same "they" who a couple of years ago toyed with the idea
>of playing hockey in two 25-minute halves?
 
Yes and no.  It was HE, but not the same leadership (referring to the
ADs who make these decisions).  Also, perhaps there was some
reconsideration after the 50-min game did not happen, especially after
the preseason HE Jamboree in which the format was experimented with.
It did never come up again.
 
>Was ice quality one of the
>reasons that idea was rejected?
 
Not at the time.  It was all set to go until it appeared that HE teams
were going to receive different consideration from others when it came
to NC$$ selection because the games would be shorter.  That, as I
recall, was the chief reason why it was scrapped.
 
BTW, I thought of this as I was writing the above words (under "MM
responds").  I just knew there would be a question about it. :-)
 
>Cornell's late, lamented junior varsity
>team used to play lots of its games in two 25-minute halves, and I don't
>remember the quality of the ice ever being an issue.
 
Back in 1987, Northeastern's JV (best darn JV team ever) used to play
in 2 30-min halves - actually, play 20, switch ends and play 10; make
ice; play 10, switch ends and play 20.  They may still do this.  But I
do remember the ice being covered with a thick layer of snow in the
final minutes.  It was JV, though, and not as important.
 
I believe Merrimack's JV uses the 2 25-min method, so the commissioner
must be pretty familiar with the quality of ice near the end of those
periods.  (ok, enough jokes about Volpe now. :-))  But I believe
he was speaking on behalf of the league since we were discussing why
the SO decision was made.  It seemed to be a concern that the ADs in
general had.
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93
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