The biggest problem I have with the rule is fairness to the fans. As I have mentioned before, it's not fair that "out-of-state" (man does that bug me about Twin City folk when they refer to the Northern MN) fans have to wake at the butt crack of dawn to make it to the afternoon game, when it should be at night.
Personally, you'd think the WCHA would want more teams in. That being said, the Gopher Rule has screwed teams over before by having them play immediately in the afternoon. Could happen to UW this year. The extra rest doesn't matter for the third place game, because at that point the players are worn out.