The differential in points given out between international vs domestic was noticeable, it was definitely a big topic of conversation at the event. Not sure why the international event would be judged so differently.... but this was definitely noticed.
Which teams do you feel were scored unequally relative to each other at Lake Placid?
If you use total scores from both competitions at Lake Placid, you get very similar rankings to those handed out at the Chesapeake Open. I haven't double checked my math so feel free to correct it if any of the numbers are incorrect:
Junior Ice Dance Championships
Carreira & Ponomarenko. 149.76
Lewis & Bye. 132.88
Green & Green. 132.86
Gropman & Somerville 129.1
Nguyen & Kolesnik. 122.32
Gunter & Wein. 111.92
Amoia & Becker- 107.15 (missed a full set of twizzles and had a number of errors)
Cesanek & Usanov. 104.14 (had a fall)
Efimova & Petrov. 102.23
The Elders 100.75 (had a fall)
Haines & Koszuta 93.23. (had a fall and a couple other errors)
DelCamp & Gart. 89.62
DelCamp & Gart didn't compete at the Chesapeake Open, and considering that the Elders counted a fall, it is plausible that D&G were judged under a harsher standard relative to teams in the LPIDC. Based on Nationals and the Bavarian Open last year, the Elders and D&G are in the same ballpark when skating clean.
Otherwise, I see no major shocks in the results. I do have to agree that the Texas Open results seem more out of line; but with Gropman & Somerville and Nguyen & Kolesnik counting major errors there, that may be the explanation. N&K are new so they only have a short record and errors are not a surprise at this stage of the partnership, but the results they do have indicate that their scoring potential is higher than most of the junior teams. I think the top six teams on the list have made their case. I suspect Amoia & Becker will get one because he has JGP experience and their result here is an international score. Cesanek & Usanov and Haines & Koszuta haven't earned the required ISP score as of now. As for the remaining teams, your guess is as good as mine.
As far as last year's novices go, there were split placements throughout the novice event at Nationals. It isn't surprising that these teams have been swapping scores. The fact is that the JGP will be a very different test for anyone who wins a spot.
I would assume that teams will have to meet a specific score in their first event in order to earn a second one. We won't know how many teams will earn two spots until they go out and compete in their first event. (Gropman & Somerville defeated Lewis & Bye during the FD in the Lake Placid International last season but still didn't earn a second spot with their score in France on the JGP. And Gunter & Wein had the same placement as L&B at their first event but didn't earn one either so I assume there is a score that must be reached). Not everyone will get a JGP. A few teams--Haines & Koszuta and Cesanek & Usanov--probably lost their shot to be added to the ISP right here. And based on their relative placements, they had a shot. (Is the Dance Chicago competition being held again this year?) Last year, there were also opportunities to compete internationally at the NRW Trophy and Bavarian Open so some ISP teams may go there instead.
Regardless, sometimes you don't get in the first season out. Gropman & Somerville didn't make it out of sectionals their first season in Juniors. It's dance. It's a long journey.