North Dakota Coach Hits Weiland's Charge

The opinions of Crimson hockey coach Cooney Weiland were assailed by another Western hockey coach this weekend. This time it was University of North Dakota coach Cliff Purpur who rebuffed Weiland, although the varsity hockey team did not even play Purpur's team.

Purpur said this weekend that, "Cooney Weiland must be pretty sour." He was commenting on the Crimson coach's strong objections to Canadian players competing in collegiate ranks in the Mid-western Hockey League.

"After those six drubbings on that road trip out West any coach would be," Purpur commented. The sextet lost successive games to Minnesota University, Colorado College, and Denver University during the Christmas recess. Purpur called Weiland's charges that teams like Denver and North Dakota have three Canadians to one American a "sweeping statement."

"On the team we took to Denver in December, we had eight Canadians and seven Americans. They are all legitimate students," said Purpur, adding that North Dakota has only one Canadian transfer and "He's only 19, not the 23 and 24 year olds Weiland mentioned."