AHA releases playoff info; Spiders not invited
March 3, 2008
From the AHA:
Winter League Playoffs
The top four teams from each tier/division will enter a round-robin playoff tournament. The tournament will be held Monday, March 31, through Sunday, April 6, with most games being held at Bloomington Ice Gardens.
Regular Season Tiebreaker:
In the event of a tie in the regular-season standings, the following criteria are used to determine seeding:
- Total points in the regular season.
- Number of wins in the regular season.
- Head-to-head record between teams in the regular season.
- Fewest total penalty minutes in the regular season.
- Fewest goals allowed in the regular season.
- Most goals scored in the regular season.
- Coin toss.
Pools:
In tiers with two divisions (D1, C2, B):
- Pool 1: East #1, West #2, West #3, East #4
- Pool 2: West #1, East #2, East #3, West #4
In tiers with three divisions (C1):
- Pool 1: East #1, North #2, West #3, North #4
- Pool 2: North #1, West #2, East #3, West #4
- Pool 3: West #1, East #2, North #3, East #4
In tiers with one division (A, D2), there will be one pool of four teams.
| Date | Day | Time | Location | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/2/2008 | Wed. | 7:00 p.m. | Plymouth B | D1 Pool 2 – 1 vs 4 | |
| 4/2/2008 | Wed. | 7:15 p.m. | SLP E | D1 Pool 1 – 1 vs 4 | |
| 4/2/2008 | Wed. | 8:45 p.m. | Plymouth C | D1 Pool 1 – 2 vs 3 | |
| 4/2/2008 | Wed. | 8:45 p.m. | Plymouth B | D1 Pool 2 – 2 vs 3 | |
| 4/4/2008 | Fri. | 6:00 p.m. | SLP W | D1 Pool 2 – 1 vs 3 | |
| 4/4/2008 | Fri. | 9:00 p.m. | BIG 2 | D1 Pool 2 – 2 vs 4 | |
| 4/4/2008 | Fri. | 9:30 p.m. | BIG 1 | D1 Pool 1 – 1 vs 3 | |
| 4/4/2008 | Fri. | 9:30 p.m. | BIG 3 | D1 Pool 1 – 2 vs 4 | |
| 4/5/2008 | Sat. | 4:00 p.m. | SLP E | D1 Pool 2 – 1 vs 2 | |
| 4/5/2008 | Sat. | 4:15 p.m. | BIG 3 | D1 Pool 2 – 3 vs 4 | |
| 4/5/2008 | Sat. | 4:30 p.m. | BIG 2 | D1 Pool 1 – 1 vs 2 | |
| 4/5/2008 | Sat. | 4:45 p.m. | BIG 1 | D1 Pool 1 – 3 vs 4 | |
| 4/5/2008 | Sat. | 9:45 p.m. | BIG 2 | D1 Pool 1 – Championship | |
| 4/5/2008 | Sat. | 10:00 p.m. | BIG 1 | D1 Pool 2 – Championship | |
| 4/6/2008 | Sun. | 3:00 p.m. | BIG 1 | D1 Tier Championship | |
See AHA Playoffs for full schedule.
Playoff Rules/Tiebreakers
- Each team will play three games against each team in their respective pool in round-robin style.
- The two teams finishing with the best records will meet Saturday night for the Pool Championship. (Except A and D2 — see below.)
- In A and D2, the top two teams in pool play will meet Sunday for the Tier Championship.
- In D1, C2, B tiers, each pool winner will advance to the Tier Championship.
- In C1, the top two records (from the three pools) in pool play, including Pool Championships, will advance to the Tier Championship. Playoff tiebreaker rules will apply.
- There will be no overtime in round-robin pool play. Games will end in ties and will count in the standings.
- In Pool Championship and Tier Championship games, if at the end of the three periods the score is tied, the teams shall play one overtime period of five minutes. If at the end of the overtime period the score is still tied, a shootout will take place. Shootout rules are as follows:
- Following a scoreless five-minute overtime, three players from each team participate in the order the Captain selects.
- Each team takes three shots in alternating fashion. The team with the most goals after those six (or less) shots is the winner.
- If the score remains tied, the shootout will proceed to a “sudden death” format.
Regardless of the number of goals scored during the shootout portion of overtime, the final score recorded for the game will give the winning team one more goal than the score at the end of regulation time.
- Tiebreakers for pool standings will be posted at Bloomington Ice Gardens.
National Tournament
The USA Hockey National Tournament will be held at the Schwan’s Super Rink in Blaine, May 16–18. Each AHA pool winner (and Tier Champion in tiers with one division) automatically receive a berth in the National Tournament and the Team Entry Fee is paid for by the AHA.
In the event a team decides to decline their invitation, here is how we will determine the next team(s) to receive the invitation:
- Runner-up from the pool of the Champion that declines the invitation.
- Runner-up from the opposite pool of the Champion that declines the invitation. (In C1, skip to step 3 below.)
- Above playoff seeding criteria (combining the results of both/all divisions.)
