In a message dated 3/12/2004 3:57:01 PM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes:

Manchester = short drive, few tickets, nasty UNH fans
Albany = long drive, plenty of tickets, no UNH fans

Maybe a Manchester Regional is worth an HEA Tournament title? Sure.

If we're a No. 1 or 2 seed (which would put us in Manchester), we get to play an unranked team like Holy Cross or Bemidji State in the first round, and probably an 8-9 or 7-10 seed in the second round.

If we're ranked 3 or 4 after the Hockey East tourney, we go to Albany, but we have to play a ranked team in the first round and probably a 5 or 6 seed in the second round. There's a big difference between Michigan State/Notre Dame and Holy Cross. I think I'd even prefer playing UNH in Manchester to playing Michigan or Denver in Albany.