>Furthermore, my comparison between the quality of ACHA teams and
>NCAA Division III teams is right on target: check this year's records to
>see how many ACHA teams have knocked off NCAA D-III opponents.  However,
>in most cases I agree ACHA teams wouldn't be able to beat NCAA Division I
>teams.  There are exceptions, though.  Last year Penn State lost -
>just 5-4 in overtime - to the No. 1 nationally-ranked NCAA Division II
>team.  This year, I believe, Penn State beat them.  But I also think ACHA
>teams could give many NCAA teams quite a scare.
 
I hate to keep beating this horse, but the facts don't bear this out. A
 search of the D-II/III composite schedule cross referenced against a
 list of ACHA D-I teams found in the College Hockey Guidebook show the
 following games:
 
11/3 Delaware (ACHA) 3, Villanova (NCAA) 2
11/4 Lehigh (ACHA) at Scranton (NCAA) - no score available
11/29 Penn State (ACHA) 4, Hobart (NCAA) 3
1/10 Mercyhurst (NCAA) 14, Penn State (ACHA) 3
1/26 Scranton (NCAA) at Lehigh(ACHA) - no score available
2/6 Penn State(ACHA) at Villanova (NCAA) - no score available
 
Ok, let's look further:
 
Villanova - is technically a D-I team, but can't hold it's own against
 D-III competition, where they are 3-11-1 based on the composite scores
 available. Some scores from this season:  Oswego 13, Villanova 2,
 Canisius 14, Villanova 1, UConn 15, Villanova 1, etc etc. Villanova is
 NOT representative of a typical D-III program.
 
Scranton - is by far the worst varsity program in the nation. They have
 not won a varsity game in 4-5 years and routinely lose by 20 goals a
 game to D-III schools.  They play more ACHA teams than any other
 varsity program for a reason.  Scranton is NOT typical of an NCAA
 D-III program.
 
Hobart - is 4-18-2 playing a D-III schedule. Lost to Plattsburgh 13-1
 last weekend and Hamilton 12-4 last night. Hobart finished last in the
 ECAC West and is ranked 45th out of the "top" 52 programs playing a
 D-II/III schedule in the latest RPI ratings (Villanova and Scranton
 aren't even listed).
 
Mercyhurst - Is 16-6-1, good for 3rd place in the ECAC West. They're
 ranked #16 out of 52 in the RPI. And look at the score (MH 14, Penn
 State 3). You are correct that Penn State lost by only a goal to
 Mercyhurst last year, but my understanding is that MH rested a lot of
 starters. Penn State also lost to Hobart last year, and Hobart's
 record was similar to their record this season.
 
In conclusion, my opinion is that a top ACHA team would be a slightly
 below average D-III program. Once again, I'm not bashing the ACHA - I
 think their organization and promotion puts D-III to shame - the ACHA
 Division II championships this year involve 16 teams and are being
 held in Tampa, for example. Wow!  But the quality of hockey isn't the
 same. And who cares? Penn State - Iowa State makes for  a very
 exciting game between evenly matched teams. Why not leave it at that
 and stop making comparisions to the NCAA.
 
Chris Lerch
US College Hockey Magazine
 
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