NAHL Weekend Preview
Just eight teams remain in the quest for the Robertson Cup as the Robertson Cup Playoffs continue this weekend with the start of the Division Finals.
The four divisional playoff champions will advance to play at the 2023 Robertson Cup Championship in Blaine, Minnesota from May 19-23. The Robertson Cup is awarded to the national playoff champion of the NAHL.
Six more players made NCAA commitments this week bringing the yearly total to 257 players who have committed to play NCAA hockey in 2022-23.
Division Finals (Best of 5)
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, May 4, 2023, and conclude no later than Sunday, May 14, 2023. 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 Central Division Finals match-up between Austin and St. Cloud features two team who swept their respective Semi-Final series. The Norsemen are looking for a return visit to the Robertson Cup as they won the Central last season and played in the 2022 event. The Bruins have not been to the Robertson Cup Semi-Finals since 2015. Each team won six games during the 12 regular season contests between one another.
In the East, both Maine and Maryland are also coming off sweeps of their respective Semi-Final series. The #1 seeded Black Bears have never been to the Robertson Cup, while Maine won the East back in 2021 and qualified for the event. Each team won four of eight games played during the regular season series.
Both the Windigo and the Wilderness are coming off sweeps of their Semi-Final series. The Windigo qualified for the Robertson Cup in 2021 when they were the Minnesota Magicians, while the Minnesota Wilderness won the cup back in 2015 but have not returned since. The Windigo won 8 of the 10 games played during the regular season.
In the South, the Oklahoma Warriors and Shreveport Mudbugs will tangle for the right to represent the division at the Robertson Cup. The Warriors swept their Semi-Final series, while the Mudbugs needed the maximum five games to beat the Lone Star Brahmas. The Warriors won five of the eight games during the regular season.
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Previous Robertson Cup titles
Austin Bruins – None
St. Cloud Norsemen – None
Maryland Black Bears – None
Maine Nordiques – None
Wisconsin Windigo – None
Minnesota Wilderness – 2015
Oklahoma Warriors – None
Shreveport Mudbugs – 2021, 2018
Central Division Finals (best of 5)
#1 Austin Bruins vs. #3 St. Cloud Norsemen
Game 1: Friday, May 5 @ Austin, 7:05pm
Game 2: Saturday, May 6 @ Austin, 7:05pm
Game 3: Friday, May 12 @ St. Cloud, 7:00pm
Game 4: Saturday, May 13 @ St. Cloud, 7:00pm*
Game 5: Sunday, May 14 @ Austin, 5:05pm*
East Division Finals (best of 5)
#1 Maryland Black Bears vs. #3 Maine Nordiques
Game 1: Friday, May 5 @ Maryland, 7:00pm
Game 2: Saturday, May 6 @ Maryland, 6:30pm
Game 3: Friday, May 12 @ Maine, 6:00pm
Game 4: Saturday, May 13 @ Maine, 1:30pm*
Game 5: Sunday, May 14 @ Maryland, 6:00pm*
Midwest Division Finals (best of 5)
#1 Wisconsin Windigo vs. #2 Minnesota Wilderness
Game 1: Friday, May 5 @ Wisconsin, 7:00pm
Game 2: Saturday, May 6 @ Wisconsin, 7:00pm
Game 3: Friday, May 12 @ Minnesota, 7:15pm
Game 4: Saturday, May 13 @ Minnesota, 7:15pm*
Game 5: Sunday, May 14 @ Wisconsin, 6:00pm*
South Division Finals (best of 5)
#1 Oklahoma Warriors vs. #3 Shreveport Mudbugs
Game 1: Friday, May 5 @ Oklahoma, 7:15pm
Game 2: Saturday, May 6 @ Oklahoma, 7:15pm
Game 3: Friday, May 12 @ Shreveport, 7:11pm
Game 4: Saturday, May 13 @ Shreveport, 7:11pm*
Game 5: Sunday, May 14 @ Oklahoma, 7:15pm*
*if necessary
Playoff Overtime Procedure: 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.
