On Wed, 18 Jan 1995, Mike Machnik wrote:
 
> In response to Tony's query...
>
> Right now, the only reason that most Western teams play more games
> than most Eastern teams is that Western teams take more advantage of
> the exemptions available than Eastern schools do.  For example, most
> Western schools will play a Canadian team early in the season and
> count it in their overall record.  Some Eastern teams will open with a
> Canadian team but call it an exhibition.  Whether you count this game
> in your overall record or not, it does not count toward the 34-game
> limit.  BU could have counted its season opening win over New
> Brunswick in its overall record to give them one more win, but it
> chose not to.
> Also, it seems that more and more Western schools are hosting a
> foreign team each year.  This game must go in the books as an
> exhibition, but it is still an extra game that provides experience.
> The WCHA in particular seems to organize these sets of games each
> season.  And again, the game is exempt from the 34-game limit.
 
Canada isn't foreign? ;)
At UMD, the only two times we've played a Canadian team since I have been
here, they have been considered exhibitions.
 
> The only issue that still exists is that with UAF and UAA both to be
> fulltime members of conferences next season, it gives an unfair
> advantage to the Western schools that will be traveling to Alaska to
> play those teams for conference games.  8 of the 9 other WCHA schools
> will play two (exempted) games at UAA each year and thus be allowed
> two extra games to schedule other opponents.  And, each year, 5 of the
> 10 CCHA schools will play 3 (exempted) games at UAF, which will give
> them 3 extra games to play other teams.
 
So does that mean, in essence, that UAA and UAF, assuming they play 20 or
so home games, could go out and play 54 games?  And, assuming some of
those extra 20 were played at home, we could possibly make this an NHL
season, 84 games.  Yes, I know they wouldn't have anybody left to play by
this time, but I have a warped mind and come up with these sorts of things.
 
Tony
 
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Anthony J. Frolik                            University of Minnesota Duluth
Go Bulldogs!                                    5-11-3 WCHA, 8-12-3 Overall
            My views are not representative of the University.
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