On the west dominance idea, I agree that it is more of single team dominance, LSSU, Maine and Mich come to mind. Over the last ten years, ECAC has had two champions, RPI and Harvard and HE with BU and Maine are no slouches either. It is too bad that there is not more inter-geographical play, it seems to be limited to tourneys and the statistical uncertainties are large with only a few games played. I'd like to think that there are always two teams from each league that deserve an invite and then the last four berths are scrapped four. As an ECAC fan, whose league I think is viewed as relatively weak, I think that is as bad a rap as the RPI pressure crap we have been seeing on the net.... with 12 teams it stands to reason there will be more weak teams than an 8 team league , on average in fact 50% more!! From my following of college hockey from a distance over the years, and now close up thanx to hockey-l, my comment is that you "youngsters" don't know dominance! Perhaps someone from the late 60s can confirm, but in the early 60s (and 50s except for RPI in 1954, I believe) the western teams were not only dominant, they were virtually unbeatable. What you have now is a relatively level playing field east vs. west even tho' it may be slightly tilted. For example, the NCAA used to have four teams invited. Over the years, the scores would typically be West#1 12 East #2 1 and West #2 9 East #1 2, so it was really a tourney set to find the best of the west. At that time (early 60s) it was Denver. But almost any western team could beat the crap out of any eastern team... period. My 64 yearbook shows RPI playing no western teams during the reg season and losing to Denver 4-1 in the first round of the NCAA, beating PC 2-1 in the consy. RPI had an excellent eastern team that year, and my recollection is the game was not nearly as close as 4-1!! They were 15-6 reg season, won the ECAC tournament and finished 3rd in the nation. In reality they were probably close to the top in the east, and probably 10th in the nation, teams like ND, Mich, MTU, would have beaten the heck out of us during the reg. season. So, I think it is fairly level now, and that is good, but I'dlike to see more intergeog play. TheECAC only plays 22 league games, is there any chance the other leagues might trim down to allow for more interleague games in the future. BTW, my year book picture shows a total of 14 players!! I know for a fact that two almost never played... one goalie all games, so there were probably less than 3 lines, on average and perhaps two sets of D!! No wonder Harkness had to pull some tricks to win. My recollection of the few western teams that came to the RPI invitational were that they were big, talented and had at least 3 good lines and 3 sets of D. I recall, in fact, that their second and third lines were probably as good as RPI's first!! Tony Buffa RPI '64 PS At that time, to quote the yearbook: "... the Bachelors gained revenge over Clarkson ..." and I recall a small Bachelor type guy as the mascot. Personally I'd take the puckman or the bee (#1 choice the swarm!) over the Bachelor which probably would not even be considered today given that there even women attending the 'tute as I understand it!! What is the world coming to? (Just kidding, no flames please, ;-) as far as I am concerned, more women in science and engineering is what we need!)