Greg writes:
>> Obviously most ECAC teams shy away from match-ups
>>with the Western teams...
>
>It isn't obvious to me at all. I would think that, given the limited
>exposure of the ECAC caused by its 8 NC (4 for Ivy) game limit, the
>better teams would try to schedule as many NC quality opponents as
>possible. After all, there's everything to gain when trying to
>overcome the myth of western/HE superiority.
 
True, and all of the ECAC teams have scheduled games with HE teams in this
year and past years...Yale played three games in Alaska against Maine and
two Western teams.  However, there was the unfortunate situation where RPI
tried to get in that tourney and was rejected by the Ivies, who turned
around and allowed Yale to go instead.
 
The limits make it that much more difficult for teams to schedule inter-
conference games against teams from the other region...not counting the
Independents or UAA/UAF, HE teams can only play at most between 10-15 games
against WCHA/CCHA teams, and only four of those aren't in tourneys
(Merrimack's 2 at WMU, NU's 2 with UIC).  And this is with 10 nonleague
games per team x 8 teams = 80 possible nonleague games not counting games
in Alaska, etc.  There needs to be a concerted effort among leagues to have
more East-West play, but no one seems sufficiently interested to make it
happen, and I can't blame any one conference for that.
---
Mike Machnik    [log in to unmask]   Color Voice of the Merrimack Warriors
(Any opinions expressed above are strictly those of the poster.)    *HMN*