Sean Pickett
2009 NCAA Champions
The season hasn’t even begun and Vermont has blown up the Hockey East schedule with their decision to postpone the start of winter sports until 18 December (conveniently a day before their basketball teams’ league games start).
On the men’s side UVM had scheduled 8 games before 18 December, with three weekends of flex games in February, but they also scheduled 3 bye weekends, one in December, one in January and one on February, so they have enough dates to make up the 8 games )one hopes that they have no more games disrupted by COVID-19, or things could get ugly). As far as the BU games, there are two available weekends without breaking the BU schedule: 18-20 December, which requires no change in BU’s or UVM’s schedules, or 26-28 February, which would replace BU’s two flex games vs BC and UVM’s two flex games vs UML. I would prefer the games be played on 18-19 December to get them played ASAP, especially as BU only has two flex weekends and no bye weekends in 2021. And with one of BU’s flex weekends 1-2 having the UVM games rescheduled on 26-28 February would give BU no wiggle room at all after the first weekend of January. Doing so would also allow the already scheduled 27-28 February UVM-UML flex games to be played, but as league games – and with the location switched. Likewise, it would allow the already scheduled 5-6 February UVM-UMass flex games to be played as league games and with the location switched. Then the UVM-UConn games could then be scheduled for 19-21 February in place of flex games scheduled by both teams (and the two flex opponents, Merrimack and UML, could easily played flex games with each other that weekend). Hopefully everyone will agree to this schedule as it would cause minimal disruption and still leave teams with some flexibility for COVID-10 scheduling changes.
On the women’s side UVM had scheduled 6 games before 18 December, with three weekend of flex games (one at the end of January and two in February) and two bye weekends, one in December and one in January. BU and UVM have flex games already scheduled for February, which appears to be the most likely (with location switched), but 26-27 December is also a possibility as both teams have bye weeks scheduled). The other two teams with postponed games vs UVM have several flex games in sync with UVM, making the rescheduling a bit easier than for the men’s teams.
As for the canceled Beanpot, I think it might increase interest in the tournament when it returns in 2022 and make for better attendance. Either that or kill it altogether.
Sean
On the men’s side UVM had scheduled 8 games before 18 December, with three weekends of flex games in February, but they also scheduled 3 bye weekends, one in December, one in January and one on February, so they have enough dates to make up the 8 games )one hopes that they have no more games disrupted by COVID-19, or things could get ugly). As far as the BU games, there are two available weekends without breaking the BU schedule: 18-20 December, which requires no change in BU’s or UVM’s schedules, or 26-28 February, which would replace BU’s two flex games vs BC and UVM’s two flex games vs UML. I would prefer the games be played on 18-19 December to get them played ASAP, especially as BU only has two flex weekends and no bye weekends in 2021. And with one of BU’s flex weekends 1-2 having the UVM games rescheduled on 26-28 February would give BU no wiggle room at all after the first weekend of January. Doing so would also allow the already scheduled 27-28 February UVM-UML flex games to be played, but as league games – and with the location switched. Likewise, it would allow the already scheduled 5-6 February UVM-UMass flex games to be played as league games and with the location switched. Then the UVM-UConn games could then be scheduled for 19-21 February in place of flex games scheduled by both teams (and the two flex opponents, Merrimack and UML, could easily played flex games with each other that weekend). Hopefully everyone will agree to this schedule as it would cause minimal disruption and still leave teams with some flexibility for COVID-10 scheduling changes.
On the women’s side UVM had scheduled 6 games before 18 December, with three weekend of flex games (one at the end of January and two in February) and two bye weekends, one in December and one in January. BU and UVM have flex games already scheduled for February, which appears to be the most likely (with location switched), but 26-27 December is also a possibility as both teams have bye weeks scheduled). The other two teams with postponed games vs UVM have several flex games in sync with UVM, making the rescheduling a bit easier than for the men’s teams.
As for the canceled Beanpot, I think it might increase interest in the tournament when it returns in 2022 and make for better attendance. Either that or kill it altogether.
Sean
The newly updated HE schedule has BU visiting UConn for a 2:30 p.m. start.