NAHL Weekend Preview

March 30, 2018

It is the second to last weekend of the 2017-18 NAHL regular season as 22 games highlight the schedule on Friday and Saturday, with the league taking a day off on Easter Sunday.

15 of the 16 spots in the Robertson Cup Playoffs have been clinched, as have three of the four regular season division titles.

There is also jockeying left to be done for movement in the standings in the battle for home ice advantage in the playoffs. The 2018 Robertson Cup Playoffs begin on April 12th.

The 2018 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship set to take place from May 11-14 at Fogerty Arena in Blaine, Minnesota.

At the conclusion of the NAHL regular season, Clubs that have an equal amount of points shall have their final position in the NAHL standings determined by applying the following tie-breaking procedures until the tie is broken:

A. Most wins during the regular season.

B. Results of head to head competition during the regular season.

C. Total goal differential in head to head competition during the regular season.

D. Total goal differential during the regular season.

E. Coin flip.

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In the Central Division, there are a couple things left to be determined, the first of which is the final spot in the playoffs. In the driver’s seat is the Minot Minotauros, who need the combination of a win or a Bismarck regulation loss to clinch the 4th and final spot. The Minotauros are in Cloquet this weekend to take on the Wilderness. The Wilderness are just two points behind the Austin Bruins for 2nd place and home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Bruins have a tough test as they go outside of the division to travel to Janesville for two games against the 2nd place Jets. The Central Division Champion Aberdeen Wings are in Bismarck as the Bobcats are in a must-win situation. The Brookings Blizzard will host the Coulee Region Chill in the final series with both teams now eliminated from playoff contention.

In the East Division, things are still up in the air for spots 2-4. That may get settled this weekend as the 2nd place New Jersey Titans take to the road to face the 3rd place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights with the two teams separated by a single point for 2nd and 3rd place. Three points behind 3rd place are the 4th place Northeast Generals, who look to continue their winning ways against division champion Philadelphia with two more games this weekend. The Generals came away with a 5-3 win on Thursday against the Rebels.

In the Midwest Division, the race for 3rd and 4th place is still ongoing as the Minnesota Magicians are in Springfield this weekend for two games against the Jr. Blues. With four games remaining in the season, the Jr. Blues hold a three-point edge for 3rd place in the division over the Magicians. The other series features the final games of the regular season for both Kenai River and Fairbanks in a three-game set in Fairbanks. The Brown Bears took home an improbable come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win on Thursday night as they scored three goals in less than two minutes late in the 3rd period to tie the game and then win in OT. Janesville plays outside of the division, hosting Austin, while Coulee Region is on the road in Brookings.

In the South Division, all eyes are in Shreveport this weekend to see if the Mudbugs can wrap-up the division with a series against the Lone Star Brahmas. The Mudbugs need just a single point to claim the South Division crown. The Odessa Jackalopes are close to securing the #3 seed in the division and will try and do so as they take to the road to face the 4th place Corpus Christi IceRays. The final series features the Topeka RoadRunners at the Amarillo Bulls as both teams, who are on the outside looking in of the playoffs, look to build some momentum for next season.

Friday, March 30

Northeast at Philadelphia - 7:10 PM EDT

New Jersey at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 7:30 PM EDT

Austin at Janesville - 7:00 PM CDT

Coulee Region at Brookings - 7:05 PM CDT

Odessa at Corpus Christi - 7:05 PM CDT

Minot at MN Wilderness - 7:05 PM CDT

MN Magicians at Springfield - 7:05 PM CDT

Lone Star at Shreveport - 7:11 PM CDT

Topeka at Amarillo - 7:15 PM CDT

Aberdeen at Bismarck - 7:15 PM CDT

Saturday, March 31