Entrance gate to post-season crowded for both D1 East and West

March 4, 2009

As the final weeks of the 2008–09 winter regular season approach, the post-season picture has begun to emerge, at least for D1 East. Your very own Spiders club, with two games remaining on the schedule, currently hold a five-point lead over the second-place Diablos, who have a game in hand. The two teams will face off for the final regular-season game, which could turn out to be for the D1 East pennant. Whichever team comes out on top, both teams are assured a post-season berth.

The field becomes more crowded for the remaining two playoff berths. A three-point spread among four teams — the Wingmen, the Lumberjacks (whom the Spiders face this weekend), the Yellow Jackets and the Royals — are all vying to keep their seasons alive, and all seem to be playing each other in their final games. Kudos to the AHA for having the crystal ball to make the final weeks of the season interesting!

• The Wingmen (3) play: Lumberjacks (4), Diablos (2) and Yellow Jackets (5).
• The Lumberjacks (4) play: Wingmen (3), Spiders (1) and Royals (6).
• The Yellow Jackets (5) play: Diablos (2), Wolf Pack (9) and Wingmen (3).
• The Royals (6) play: Snowmen (10) and Lumberjacks (4).

And according to the AHA, if the regular season ends in a tie, the following tie-breakers will be in effect to determine playoff seeding between the tied teams:

1. Total points in the regular season.
2. Number of wins in the regular season.
3. Head-to-head record between teams in the regular season.
4. Fewest total penalty minutes in the regular season.
5. Fewest goals allowed in the regular season.
6. Most goals scored in the regular season.
7. Coin toss.

The D1 berthing will be organized as:

Pool 1:

East #1, West #2, West #3, East #4

Pool 2:

West #1, East #2, East #3, West #4

Which means the Spiders should be keeping an eye on the West. Over there, with each team having four games remaining, and just a game-and-a-half spread from first to fourth, the post-season picture isn’t as clear. If the Lakers can hold on and make up a point to reach third, it could potentially mean a matchup with former Spider attendance king Mike Montgomery’s team in the post-season.