January 27, 2009
Top Teams Invade Mount Pleasant!
ECRHA Host Landmark Cross-Regional Event
What is known is that four member organizations will be
present at the event hosted by the ECRHA. In addition to the hosts, the MCRHL,
GPCIHL and SECRHL will all be sending teams to the landmark event.
The host organization, the ECRHA, will have many of its top
teams in action this weekend. Rutgers and Buffalo
headline the group, with Buffalo
sitting in first place in the ECRHA. Rutgers trails Buffalo by three points in the standings, but
currently has three less games played. Towson, Penn State
and local favorite Pittsburgh
will also be present. West Point was a late addition to the event, but will not
play any cross-regional games in preparation for their trip to St. Louis to face off
against all 4 GPCIHL teams in cross-regional action on the weekend of Feb 7th.
The ECRHA will also have four highly skilled Division II
teams taking the floor this weekend, with defending national champion Neumann College facing off against local
favorite Slippery Rock. Millersville and Shippensburg will also be finishing
their regular seasons.
The MCRHL, which is located directly west of the ECRHA will
be sending the largest out of region contingent to the event. Lead by perennial
power Michigan State, the MCRHL would love to garner
bragging rights over their neighbors to the east. Joining Michigan
State will be Ohio
State, Eastern Michigan and Michigan. All four teams
qualified for the national tournament in Colorado
Springs last season and should have good odds on
making the trip again this season.
The SECRHL will be sending two teams up north where the
weather is noticeably colder this time of year. Central
Florida will be making the longest hike of the two teams, and
should bring with them an extremely talented group of individuals. George Mason
is the other representative of the SECRHL and will be heading north to face off
against a pair of Division II squads, as well as, a pair of Division III squads
in Syracuse and
Loyola.
The fourth and final region represented will only be sending
one team, but what a team it is. The GPCIHL will be sending the seven time
defending national champions, the Lindenwood Lions. Lindenwood has been a
powerhouse and almost unbeatable the last seven years and it seems nothing has
changed at this point. Lindenwood should draw the biggest crowds this weekend
with their ability to dominate everyone they play.
With such a talented group of teams amassed in one rink for
some non-national tournament hockey, exciting hockey is a guarantee for anyone
making the trip.