+1 though there have been some years where they didn't win the conference championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament but the regular season record was stellar enough to get an at-large bid.
I’ve gone to it both ways with the men. You wouldn’t like on campus if it was someone else’s site, believe me.
My biggest beef with the neutral site games is that it almost always appears empty. Even the games which are well attended look empty. I hate it. A championship game should have a championship atmosphere. I’ve made the same argument in regard to the many high school sports which play in big stadiums (Gillette Stadium in MA, Rutgers in NJ, etc)
My biggest beef with the neutral site games is that it almost always appears empty. Even the games which are well attended look empty. I hate it. A championship game should have a championship atmosphere. I’ve made the same argument in regard to the many high school sports which play in big stadiums (Gillette Stadium in MA, Rutgers in NJ, etc)
A campus site when the host doesn't make the finals makes for a small crowd - If the Cadets had not made the finals, you would not have seen the kind of crowd that was there last night. I agree that if the facility is too big it spoils the experience. On the other hand, Lake Placid in 2010 was an amazing experience. There was a lot less atmosphere in 1999 and 2004 when it was at Kreitzberg and Norwich lost in the semis. It was great in 2003 when Norwich won at Krietzberg, but I think the idea of a right-sized neutral site is way to go.
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A campus site when the host doesn't make the finals makes for a small crowd - If the Cadets had not made the finals, you would not have seen the kind of crowd that was there last night. I agree that if the facility is too big it spoils the experience. On the other hand, Lake Placid in 2010 was an amazing experience. There was a lot less atmosphere in 1999 and 2004 when it was at Kreitzberg and Norwich lost in the semis. It was great in 2003 when Norwich won at Krietzberg, but I think the idea of a right-sized neutral site is way to go.
I agree.... but even Herb Brooks Arena looked pretty empty for that 2010 game.... same with Ritter Arena at Univ of Minnesota the following year even though it is less than half the size of Herb Brooks Arena.... whie the finals were a good crowd nowhere near capacity as I remember that game. I think the unfortunate reality is that unless a neutral site is within a couple hours of one of the final two that it is likely to seem pretty empty.
That said, I like the idea of neutral sites.... just about any D1 arena would be big enough I would think... like the Gut or Thompson Arena.
I agree.... but even Herb Brooks Arena looked pretty empty for that 2010 game.... same with Ritter Arena at Univ of Minnesota the following year even though it is less than half the size of Herb Brooks Arena.... whie the finals were a good crowd nowhere near capacity as I remember that game. I think the unfortunate reality is that unless a neutral site is within a couple hours of one of the final two that it is likely to seem pretty empty.
That said, I like the idea of neutral sites.... just about any D1 arena would be big enough I would think... like the Gut or Thompson Arena.
In looking back to the 2008 FF in Lake Placid, the semi final day with Plattsburgh vs Elmira and Norwich vs St. Norbert drew an announced 5600 and the Ntl Championship game between Plattsburgh and St. Norbert drew an announced 4770....total = 10,370... probably the 'Perfect Storm' with three top East Regional teams and SNC involved....I do remember a ton of Plattsburgh fans there...
SNC Men:
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NCHA Champions: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017. 2018, 2019...
SNC Women:
O'Brien Cup Champions: 2013.
In looking back to the 2008 FF in Lake Placid, the semi final day with Plattsburgh vs Elmira and Norwich vs St. Norbert drew an announced 5600 and the Ntl Championship game between Plattsburgh and St. Norbert drew an announced 4770....total = 10,370... probably the 'Perfect Storm' with three top East Regional teams and SNC involved....I do remember a ton of Plattsburgh fans there...
The first year was perfect. It’s been slightly downhill ever since....
In looking back to the 2008 FF in Lake Placid, the semi final day with Plattsburgh vs Elmira and Norwich vs St. Norbert drew an announced 5600 and the Ntl Championship game between Plattsburgh and St. Norbert drew an announced 4770....total = 10,370... probably the 'Perfect Storm' with three top East Regional teams and SNC involved....I do remember a ton of Plattsburgh fans there...
So lets say that we assume that not all the Platty/Elmira fans stayed for the second semi and/or not all the Norwich/SNC fans went to the Platty/Elmira semi... so there were 5,000 in attendance for those games.. that is only 65% of the HB Arena capacity but at the Gut or Dartmouth the place would be rocking!
So lets say that we assume that not all the Platty/Elmira fans stayed for the second semi and/or not all the Norwich/SNC fans went to the Platty/Elmira semi... so there were 5,000 in attendance for those games.. that is only 65% of the HB Arena capacity but at the Gut or Dartmouth the place would be rocking!
I still contend that if the players had their choice of Gutterson, Dartmouth or the 1980 Olympic Arena, Lake Placid.....most would want to play in Lake Placid !
I still contend that if the players had their choice of Gutterson, Dartmouth or the 1980 Olympic Arena, Lake Placid.....most would want to play in Lake Placid !
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