Steve writes:
 
>Not much has been made this year about the fact the non-"bye" teams don't
>have a day of rest.  (As opposed to previous years when there's been alot
>of complaining - re: Lowell last year).  I've been told that the
>"higher-ups" are reconsidering this format and might consider having an
>off-day.  Clearly, in the east, the better two teams won, but I have to
>think Denver looked a little weary.
 
This is a good point.  I was at a state youth tournament this weekend and
watched a team play _THREE_ games in less than 24 hours: 8-10pm Sat, 10-
Noon Sunday, and 4-6pm Sunday.  They may have played great to win the first
two, but that third one (the _final_, by the way) was probably too much for
a bunch of 12-14 year olds to handle.
 
There are other things to take into consideration, however.  The fans who
ship in from out of town would have to spend an extra day between games,
which is great for the local economy, but I sure wouldn't want to be paying
$50-100 for a hotel room for that extra night.
 
And besides, don't most regular season series happen on consecutive nights?
Those games (though many may disagree) are just as important, especially
if you depend on the RPICH to get into the playoffs.
 
Karl