Let me start off by saying that I have a daughter who plays on a women's ECAC team so that everything I say will be totally biased and slanted to prove that I am correct. After all the furor is over I would like to make some observations on the condition of women's hockey and why it is still not yet a major sport. The championship week-end say some great games and play and provided much needed publicity for the venue. However, now that they are on their feet and walking will they walk into a wall? I can only use the contrast between the way men's and women's hockey is handled. For example most teams are class (pun intended) oriented in that seniors receive the most ice and publicity. Women are unique in that as an emerging sport the younger players tend to be the better more skilled players. The proof of this is that of the top ten leading scorers this year only one was a senior. The ECAC completely ignored this fact in the recent tournament. Most men coaches, at least the good ones, keep track of plus and minuses as a determination of how well a player is performing, not just how many goals are scored against weaker teams. I have not seen one listing of the plus or minus of any women players. Further, I continue to see the adoration of players who dominate the statistics with points against teams in the weaker divisions. Most Division I men's teams would be embarassed if their major points were scored against weak Division III. In fact a candidate for rookie of the year would have their points weighted based upon the opponents. To me a player who scores two goals in a game against UNH or Brown is worth more than a player who scores five against an Alliance opponent. The idea is quality not quantity. To illustrate look at the scoring leaders in the games that counted these past two weeks. In the big games you can tell who the big players are. How come the two leading scorers in the tournament were left off the all tournament team? Answer because they were freshmen. This would never happen to the men. As to the most valuable player in the tournament, although she is an excellent player, the rule should be that you have to have at least two points in the tournament to be the most valuable. Women's hockey is too loaded with sentimentality. It is a sport that should reward excellence not friendship. Next year the ECAC plans some changes to hopefully rectify these injustices. If the past is any indication they'll find a way around it. HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.