Here we go, a week and a half after the season ends.  Something to get
you thinking about 1992-93.
 
1992-93 Merrimack Hockey Schedule (Tentative) as of 4/14/92
 
OCTOBER
Fri 23 at Western Michigan (7:30)
Sat 24 at Western Michigan (7:30)
Fri 30    Alabama-Huntsville
Sat 31    Alabama-Huntsville
NOVEMBER
Fri  6 at Dartmouth (7:30)
Sun  8    RPI (4:00)
Fri 13 at Maine *
Sat 14 at Maine *
Fri 20 at Northeastern *
Sat 21    Northeastern *
Fri 27 at Air Force
Sat 28 at Air Force
DECEMBER
Fri  4    Boston University *
Sat  5 at Boston University *
Wed  9 at Providence *
JANUARY
Fri  1    Union (2:00)
Sun  3    Vermont (2:00)
Fri  8    New Hampshire *
Sat  9 at New Hampshire *
Fri 15    UMass-Lowell *
Sat 16 at UMass-Lowell *
Fri 22 at Providence *
Sat 23    Providence *
Wed 27    Boston College *
Fri 29 at Boston College *
FEBRUARY
Fri  5    Boston College *
Sat  6    New Hampshire *
Fri 12 at Boston University *
Sat 13    Boston University *
Fri 19    Northeastern *
Sat 20 at Northeastern *
Fri 26    Maine *
Sat 27    Maine *
MARCH
Sat  6 at UMass-Lowell *
Fri 12-   HOCKEY EAST QUARTERFINALS
Sun 14
Thu 18-   HOCKEYFEST 93 at BOSTON GARDEN
Sat 20
*-Hockey East games (24).  Times 7 pm local unless given.
 
NOTES
* With the expansion from 21 to 24 games in the Hockey East schedule,
  Merrimack will play the other three teams in its "group" four times and
  everyone else three times.  The three teams Merrimack plays four times
  are Maine, Northeastern, and Boston University.  This was a compromise
  between the people who wanted to go to 28 games and the people who
  wanted to stay with 21 games.
 
* Only two of the 34 games next season are scheduled for a weekday (other
  than Fri-Sat-Sun).  In 1991-92, 9 were played on weekdays.
 
* The Second Annual Merrimack New Year's Day Bowl Game :-) will take place on
  1/1/93 as Merrimack hosts lucky Union.  This past season, Merrimack defeated
  Air Force in the only college hockey game played in the nation that day.  If
  this is going to become an annual thing, and especially if it remains the
  only one of its kind, maybe we should come up with a trophy for the winner
  and a suitable name for the game.  Send me your ideas and I'll pass them
  on.  I'll start it off with an idea off the top of my head:  The Volpe Bowl.
  Until then, Union fans, make your New Year's Eve plans for the Boston area.
 
* There is a pattern to the schedule that we haven't seen in HE schedules
  since about 1986-87, when teams played each other four times in addition
  to playing the WCHA teams.  Here's the pattern:
 
  - Starting Oct 23-24, first three weekends consist of nonleague games.
  - 3 of next 4 weekends consist of weekend sets with the three "group"
    teams: two at or hosting Maine, and home-and-home with the other two.
  - Thanksgiving weekend: more nonleague (this splits up the weekend sets).
  - Post-Thanksgiving: weekend set with third "group" team.
  - After Christmas, room for a few nonleague games.
  - Weekend sets (home-and-homes) with the four teams in the other "group".
  - Season closes with weekend sets against three "group" teams.
 
  I suspect the other seven schedules will follow this pattern as well.
  Weekend sets are being made standard for the first time since 1986-87, but
  I do remember hearing about two years ago (and I bet it is in the archives)
  that this would probably occur along with a move to mostly weekend games.
 
* Since the odd games with the other four teams have to be scheduled somewhere,
  some middle-of-the-week games occur.  Also, it works out that
  Merrimack will play what amounts to a three-game series with BC in late
  Jan-early Feb.  But it won't be the same for BC - the Beanpot will split
  the 2nd and 3rd games.
 
* The given dates for HOCKEYFEST reflect the information posted here earlier
  that the Eastern tourneys would be moved to eliminate the week off for
  the East teams between their conference championships and the start of
  the NC$$'s.