NAHL announces 2016 Robertson Cup Playoff format

January 27, 2016

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced the playoff format for the 2016 Robertson Cup, which includes the Final Four to be played at Braemar Ice Arena in Edina, Minnesota, from May 12-15, 2016.

 

The Robertson Cup is awarded to the national playoff champion of the NAHL. The oldest junior hockey trophy in the United States, the Robertson Cup is named in honor of Chuck Robertson, a pioneer of junior hockey in the NAHL and youth hockey in the state of Michigan. Chuck Robertson was the owner of the Paddock Pools Saints when they won a record seven straight NAHL championships from 1976-83.

 

Qualification for the 2016 Robertson Cup Playoffs is as follows: Clubs are seeded within the four divisions based upon their finish in the NAHL regular-season standings, with the top four teams in each division qualifying for the playoffs. If necessary, the tie-breaking policy adopted in the NAHL Rules and Regulations will be applied to determine the final order of finish. 

 

The Club seeded first in each division will compete in a best-of-five series with the fourth seeded Club in the same division. The Club seeded second in each division will compete in a best-of-five-series against the Club seeded third in the same division. Round 1 of the playoffs may begin no earlier than Thursday, April 14, 2016 and must conclude no later than Monday, April 25, 2016. Clubs shall cooperate to schedule division semifinal series competition. The Club seeded higher in each division semifinal series has the right to host up to three games in Round 1, and the Club seeded lower in each division semifinal series must be able to host at least two games. The first Club to win three games in a division semifinal series will be declared the winner of the series and advance to the next round of playoff competition. The first Club to lose three games in a division semifinal series shall be eliminated from further playoff competition.

 

The two Clubs in each division that won a division semifinal series shall compete in a best-of-five series against each other. The division finals may begin no earlier than Thursday, April 28, 2016 and conclude no later than Sunday May 8, 2016. Clubs shall cooperate to schedule division final series competition. The higher seeded Club will have the right to host up to three games. The lower seeded Club must be able to host a minimum of two games. The first Club to win three games in a division final series will be declared the winner of the series and advance to the Robertson Cup Final Four. The first Club to lose three games in a division final series will be eliminated from further playoff competition.

 

The four divisional playoff champions will advance to the Robertson Cup Championship, which will be held at the Braemar Ice Arena in Edina, Minnesota. Clubs will be seeded 1-4 based upon their finish in the NAHL regular-season standings. If necessary, the tie-breaking policy adopted in the NAHL Rules and Regulations will be applied to determine the final seeding. The game schedule will be as follows: The #1 Seed will face the #4 seed in a best of three series. The #2 seed will face the #3 seed in a best of three series. The two series winners will advance on to a one-game playoff to determine the Robertson Cup Champion. The event will begin on Thursday, May 12th and conclude no later than Sunday, May 15th.

 

During the all Robertson Cup playoff games, if the score is tied after three periods of play the following overtime procedure shall take place. Teams shall return to their dressing room and the ice shall be resurfaced. A fifteen-minute intermission shall take place. A twenty-minute, sudden death, overtime period shall be played with five skaters a side. The game shall terminate upon a goal being scored and the Club scoring declared the winner. If no goal is scored, the same procedure as above shall be repeated until a winner has been determined.