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* ORIGINALLY From [log in to unmask]  Fri Jan 23 11:03:17 1998
* Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 11:07:07 -0700
* From: Sports Net <[log in to unmask]>
* Subject: Ritchie Center Competition ...
* To: [log in to unmask]
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forwarded from the DU mailing list
cdash
 
 
Brave new world for CC
By Michael Chambers
Special to The Denver Post
 
 
Jan. 23 - COLORADO SPRINGS - Colorado College's long-awaited debut at its new home, the $57 million Colorado Springs World Arena, figures to catch a substantial amount of time on local newscasts tonight.
 
"The place is sold out,'' CC coach Don Lucia said. "There couldn't be a better atmosphere or more excitement for our program.''
 
The big story, though, has enough veins running from it to provide a half-hour worth of prime-time news.
 
For starters, a good hockey game usually erupts whenever CC and Wisconsin get together. This time the teams meet when they are within two points of each other and among the top five of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The Badgers (15-6-1 overall) are on a nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1), and the Tigers (14-7-2) have won 11 of their last 15.
 
Secondly, Badgers coach Jeff Sauer, the winningest coach in WCHA history, is a CC hockey alumnus who coached the Tigers for 11 seasons. He flew in early Thursday - ahead of his team - to get a head start on what prom ises to be an alumni-filled grand celebration of the Tigers' 61-year hockey history.
 
"CC has a great tradition in hockey in the WCHA, and they deserve a new rink,'' the 54-year-old coach said. "So I am real pleased that they were able to do this, and I'm real pleased I can be a part of it. I've got so many roots there.''
 
Said Lucia: "There are going to be a lot of other alums here, so it's fitting that he gets a chance to come back and be part of this.''
 
Another storyline is the World Arena's ice, which is Olympic-size (100-foot x 200-foot). Most hockey fans, particularly NHL supporters, are used to watching the game on what is called North American size, or NHL size (95 x 200). Besides the 5 feet of difference in width, there also is more room to skate behind the goal.
 
"I personally like the game on the big ice,'' Lucia said. "It requires more speed and skill; more transition with an emphasis on puck-handling ability.''
 
Big ice, however, is nothing new to Wisconsin, or most other WCHA teams. The Badgers, along with Alaska-Anchorage, Minnesota, St. Cloud State and prospective member Mankato State, all have Olympic-size sheets.
 
"The league, in a lot of ways, is going to Olympic ice,'' Lucia said. "And I've always maintained that it's easier to go from Olympic to NHL than NHL to Olympic.''
 
 
         charlie shub   University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
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