J's World

Televise college hockey

by Jeremiah Bartz

The National League Hockey playoffs is undoubtedly one of the most exciting series of games in all of sports. It ranks near the top of the list with March Madness and the entire National League Football season.

Although it is a grand time in the sporting world, don't let the NHL'ers quest for Lord Stanley's Cup overshadow another class of great hockey -- the NCAA college hockey playoffs and the Frozen Four.

Unfortunately we Alaskans are subject to a great injustice. We are more likely to see a Brady Bunch reunion on the tube, than a college hockey game. The Frozen Four is usually televised on cable, but sometimes I think that ESPN would rather televise highlights from the badminton tour, rather than a college hockey game.

There is regional coverage for NCAA hockey, but that includes only about five states. Unless you are a resident of Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin or Maine, you have to wait for the score to scroll by on the sports ticker while you are watching those badminton highlights.

I was thinking about this regional coverage thing the other day and I asked myself, "Jay (that is what I call myself, when I talk to myself), this is Alaska, the great frozen north. Why can't we see the college game that is played on frozen ice?"

It would make sense, wouldn't it? Although, I do admit, there are many things that make sense to me, and for some reason do not make much sense to the remainder of the population.

It's OK, I am all right, and the world is all wrong.

Anyway, we do have two NCAA Division I teams right here in this state. (Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Fairbanks, if you did not notice).

I do not see why one of the local television stations in Anchorage or Fairbanks does not televise the UAA and UAF games. One would think that it would create a little interest and maybe add a few members to the local hockey community.

While working with the UAF hockey squad, I was always a proponent finding anyway to televise the Nanook hockey games. But that would involve spending money. God forbid!

Taking in a college hockey game at either the Sullivan Arena or Carlson Center is a great opportunity to see quality hockey. The reality is, with the size of this state it is not possible for many to take the trip to Anchorage or Fairbanks to see the action.

Again, this is where television comes into play.

There many aspects that make college hockey incredibly exciting and frankly, if you are unaware of that you are missing out.

In the NCAA tournament, it is single elimination. There is more on the line, an immediacy to the action. Rather than the NHL's seven-game series, there is only one chance for the college hockey team to make it to the next round.

There is also more strategy in college hockey than the pros. A school can build their team around their home ice surface. In the NHL there is a standard ice surface and in the NCAA, teams can skate on either the small or international sized ice surface.

On the big ice, teams can load their rosters with small and skilled players, while on the small ice teams are often likely to attract the thumpers and grinders.

Those who say the best young hockey players skip college are pretty much full of it. Just look at the NHL All-Star roster and many of the players making an impact in the NHL postseason. Many of them are former NCAA standouts. The list of stars includes Rob Blake (Bowling Green), Dany Heatley (Wisconsin), Jeremy Roenick (Boston University) and Marty Turco (Michigan). that is just the tip of the ice berg.

These are just a few of the many great things that college hockey have to offer and most people are missing out.