Well, we really should've won this one, but we didn't.  After taking
the lead 2-1 at the beginning of the third period, UAA had several chances to
put this one away, including at least two breakaways which had the crowd at
the Sullivan Arena absolutely psyched.  But Ram kept UAA from putting this one
out of reach, and MTU tied the game with a little less than a minute left in
regulation.  Both teams made valiant attempts to win in OT.. we damn near put
it in the net as the buzzer sounded, but the goalies won this one, and the
final score was 2-2.
        Now, my $.02 worth.  First off, from what I understand about it,
Wisconsin would never have to travel to NMU and Duluth in one weekend.  This
would be ridiculous.  Wisconsin, on one weekend, would travel to NMU one night,
then return home the next night.  I forget how the breakdown of the conferences
went.. if I just included two schools that would be in the same division,
insert two schools in different divisions there.  The point is that home and
away doesn't mean away two places in one weekend!
        Second.  UAF deserves to be in a league.  And if you've passed the
second grade, and have posession of a map, go look at it and observe
Fairbanks, AK's position in relation to the rest of the Division I college
hockey teams in the United States.  If you are like me, you should observe it
to be in a somewhat Westerly direction.  It makes sense to me for them to be in
a league with a name of WESTERN Collegiate Hockey Association.  As should UAA
be.  But the west has no more Division I hockey teams.  And two teams doesn't
make for much of a league, does it?  So you look to the midwest..  Well, you
then add the Colorado schools and North Dakota.  Okay.. we've got five now.
        Anyway, my point.  It makes little sense geographically for UAF to join
the CCHA.  I will make a point about travel costs in a second, but there's no
reason for people to travel farther than they have to.  UAF should be in the
WCHA.  This leaves a question about what to do about scheduling.  Many ideas
have been proposed which have merit.  In my mind there are two that make sense.
        If the WCHA is to keep everyone it has now and add UAF (plus another
team, which would have to be either pulled up from Div. II or be USAFA, if we
wanted to have an even 12) the easiest answer I can find short of divisions
would be to petition the NCAA to allow for a longer season, perhaps 40 games.
I don't know what the NCAA or the schools would think of this, but from a fan's
standpoint, it sounds great!
        The second would require a complete restructuring of college hockey
into a new set of leagues.  The WCHA and the CCHA would be split into three
conferences, the WCHA, the MWCHA (mid-west), and the CCHA.  It's 4am, so,
please forgive me, I'm not going to sit here and try to bang out in my head
how this would break down.  But before you jump all over me for suggesting you
break your conference up, think about it.  Most in-state and regional rivalries
could probably be maintained with those teams being in the same conferences,
each team would be able to play each other team in its conference a full home
weekend and a full away weekend each year, and each team would have more than
just one or two weekends a year to schedule out of conference teams, bringing
some needed variety into the game.  I know a lot of people will be resistant to
this kind of change, but it seems to me to be the best thing for the sport.
 
Brady Clark
UAA Math/CS Department