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gosox22 · Junior Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 679 Location: Quincy, MA

The thought of UConn being good in hockey makes me want to vomit. It's a good natural rivalry for UMass though, unlike the one with Vermont they were trying to manufacture. The thought of beating up on UConn three times a year makes me very happy. Things need to turn around for us though, there would be nothing worse than finishing behind UConn in the standings in say 2015.

jjmc85 · Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 3:43 pm Post subject:

^Unless the two schools meet in the postseason, UMass probably isn't beating anyone three times anymore. With 12 teams, there's no way they'll play 33 conference games. Most of what I've read suggests playing every team twice and having an expanded out of conference schedule.
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I wish Hockey East was an all-sports conference.

gosox22 · Junior Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 679 Location: Quincy, MA

Probably true, but my point still stands.

bleedmaroon · Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 7:44 pm Post subject:

jjmc85 · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 3:51 pm Post subject:

^I like that better than most I've seen. Only things I don't like are less games in Boston and specifically losing two games a year against the combination of BC and BU.

Don't know if Lowell and Merrimack fans would want to be in different divisions, but aside from that I think everyone would be reasonably happy with it.
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I wish Hockey East was an all-sports conference.

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2145

That's the same setup BC Interruption proposed, except they referred to them as Public and Private divisions. The proposed divisions has received some love on Twitter, for what that's worth.

InnervisionsUMASS · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 7:47 pm Post subject:

Of course those setups make sense... they keep the status quo. BC, BU, UNH and Maine would continue to be the traditional dominate teams.
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Stop waiting for UMass to do something big and help UMass do something big. - Shades

bleedmaroon · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 11:00 pm Post subject:

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2145

With the exception of Lowell-Merrimack, it preserves three games for teams against rivals (or potential rivals). BC-BU, BC-ND (?), Maine-UNH, UMass-UConn (?), etc.

A 22-game conference season may be a blessing or a curse. It could be a blessing in that it opens up many more opportunities for strong non-conference opponents. It could be a curse in that there is potential "power" schools will play each other in non-conference action, leaving the crumbs for the other schools. The strong HEA teams play the strong B10/NCHC teams, and the weak HEA teams play the weak EZAC/AHA/WCHA teams. It appears the same thing happening in college football may migrate to college hockey; the haves play each other and the have-nots play each other.

bleedmaroon · Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 3:08 pm Post subject:

22 in conference games and 14 or potentially 16 out of conference games like UMass in 2004 and Merrimack this year with the Alaskan/special tournament exemption?

No thanks.

7 OOC conference games is plenty. If BC, BU and NU complain. tell them to forgo the Beanpot. That's not the other 9 teams problem.

MV Digga · Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 10:11 pm Post subject:

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7968996/uconn-gay-hockey-players-welcome-play-connecticut-huskies

MV Digga · Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 10:14 pm Post subject:

I'm guessing the even though there are seven other hockey programs promoting this (and UConn is the one program getting front page ESPN attention) this might be a move to attract donors to the program?

meff · Senior Joined: 10 Nov 2003 Posts: 895 Location: Hanover

Doubt its about donors, its more about UConn probably for the first time I can remember doing something right.

DEM · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 8:56 am Post subject:

Looks like it's about to become official:

Hockey East Votes to Accept UConn

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2145