Hockey Already?

Tuesday was the first official day of fall. The leaves are just starting to change colors. Princeton is hosting its first football game on Saturday night, and the puck is about to drop on another collegiate hockey season.

Seem a little early? Well for the non-Ivy college hockey playing world the season is about to begin. On the women's side, Quinnipiac and Wisconsin play the first regular season game on Friday night, Sept. 26. A day later, Connecticut and Sacred Heart join the mix, while over the weekend, there are 20 other exhibition games scheduled between NCAA schools and teams from Canada.

In contrast the Princeton women do not have their first official practice until Oct. 10, which is still two weeks away. The Tigers first competitive action comes with an exhibition game on Oct. 17 and scrimmages the following day before their season-opener on Oct. 25. Princeton's opponent that night, Connecticut, will have played eight real games, plus one exhibition contest, leading into the night. There will be 18 real games played featuring ECAC schools before the Tigers, and all Ivy schools for that matter, even start official practice.

On the men's side, the two Alaska schools have exhibition games this weekend, with the bulk of schools playing exhibition games next week. The first real games will be played the week of Oct. 10. Princeton, and the other Ivies, can start official practices on Oct. 17 and play their first regular season games the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 weekend. Princeton has an exhibition game on Oct. 25 and opens the season in Oct. 31 against Brown in a non-league game against the Bears. Two years ago, Princeton, Brown and Yale decided to open the season with an Ivy showcase, so that they would not be opening the season against teams with several other games under their belts, looking to avoid the situation the Princeton women will be in this season, playing their first game against a team playing its ninth.