A Marketing Opportunity missed?

Some simple math: Saint Lawrence University (SLU) + Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) = SLURPI. Somebody alert 7-11.

I'm just saying.

Dodge Holiday Classic - The Adventure Begins

In a few minutes, the first leg of the journey from Rochester to Rochester begins. The first leg involves actually getting to Rochester NY, as I am a couple of hours southeast of the Flower City. The stuff is packed, the coffee is made, wife kissed (the kids are at their grandparents), fish fed. Only a little bleary-eyed, its just about time to get this started.

In 29 years of college hockey fandom, this is my first trip to a WCHA rink. For someone used to seeing games in 3000-seat arenas (give or take), the 10,000 seat Mariucci Center with its Olympic-sized sheet will be a real treat.

Clarkson plays Northern Michigan in the opening round tomorrow. If Clarkson brings its "A" game this should be a decent matchup - but that is taken with a good helping of "if". The Knights need to stop taking the second period off. Hopefully the injuries that plagued the team before the semester break have healed, and this team has the heart to play a full 60 minutes.

The night cap on the first day features Bowling Green playing the hosting Minnesota Golden Gophers. That will fill the arena, and give a truer feeling for how they do things out there. Minnesota, at 8-9-1, may not be at the top of their game so far this season should be able to handle a struggling - on and off the ice - Bowling Green Falcons team who have two of their first 18 games this season.

I can't wait.

NCAA-I: Dodge Holiday Classic - A Roadtrip

Three guys, one car, 1000 miles to the land of 10,000 lakes, four games in two days, 1000 miles back to the Land of Taxes (aka New York State). Priceless.

Coming to a small market near you: the Federal Hockey League

Just announced: a new hockey league is apparently starting up next season. Called the Federal Hockey League, it plans a 60 game slate and include several teams in upstate New York. Look for a new team near you!

NCAA-I: No, its not April Fools Day, why do you ask?

When the ECAC announced today that it was moving its championship tournament from Albany NY to Atlantic City NJ beginning in 2011, I literally had to check my calendar. Was this an April Fools joke?

Alas, no. Starting with next season, the ECAC Championship Tournament will be played at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall. It is an historic venue listed as a National Landmark, and it did receive a $90 million dollar renovation recently. And until 2005 it was home to the ECHL's Boardwalk Bullies, so hockey is no stranger to the place. But is this the right place for a conference mostly located in New York and New England?

Sure, attendance has been relatively low at the Knick (still the preferred name of the place, I think) since the tournament moved there in 2003. It might have helped if one of the teams local to the Capital District had managed to make their post season last that long. It might also have helped if the weather hadn't been miserable for many of the years. Albany was still at least a logical choice, given its central location to the teams in the conference and reasonably easy access by air and car (and train, for that matter). It didn't have the charm of Lake Placid or the Boston Garden, but at least it made sense.

This move doesn't. The move from Lake Placid to Albany in 2003 was sad but understandable. This one is just sad. With decisions like this coming from those in charge, no wonder so many think of the ECAC as second-rate.

NCAA-I: Minnesota announces coaching staff changes

Things are changing for the Golden Gophers. Grant Potulny was named as an assistant men’s ice hockey coach and Justin Johnson was appointed as a volunteer men's ice hockey goalie coach at Minnesota.

Potulny replaces Mike Hastings, who resigned his position last month to accept the associate head coaching position at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

NCAA-I: Colorado College Loses A Recruit

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed 6-2, 180-pound defenseman John Moore to a three-year entry level contract, the club announced today. Moore had signed a national letter of intent with Colorado College, the Tigers announced back in November.

The native of Winnetka, Illinois, won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2008 World Junior "A" Challenge where he notched two assists in five games. In 57 games with the USHL's Chicago Steel last season, he scored 14 goals and added 25 assists for 39 points, along with 50 penalty minutes. That effort earned him USHL Defenseman of the Year honors and ranked him fourth in scoring among league defenseman.

NCAA-I: Trio of College Players Off To AHL's Syracuse

The Columbus Blue Jackets AHL affiliate in Syracuse has dipped pretty heavily into the college market and signed three former Division I players:

Tim Filangieri, Defense, Boston College notched eight assists with the Golden Eagles over 35 games last season, while serving as an assistant captain. Filangieri also appeared in one game with the Crunch on April 11 against Rochester. A native of Islip Terrace, New York, Filangieri appeared in 157 games over four years with for BC, registering three goals, 17 assists and 165 penalty minutes.

Chris Higgins, Forward, Boston University scored 14 goals and 34 assists for 48 points in 42 games last season, along with 40 penalty minutes. A native of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, the 5'-11", 185-lb. forward skated in 159 games over four years with the Terriers, notching 49 goals, 84 assists and 92 penalty minutes.

Brock McBride, Forward, Saint Lawrence University skated in 34 games with SLU last year, scoring 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points, along with 95 penalty minutes. The 5'-10", 192-lb. forward also appeared in eight games with Hartford last season, picking up four assists. A native of Cornwall, Ontario, McBride appeared in 140 games over four years with the Saints, compiling 40 goals, 70 assists and 194 penalty minutes.