Bulls headed to Robertson Cup Championship

The Amarillo Bulls locked up the North American Hockey League’s (NAHL) third berth to the upcoming Robertson Cup Championship Tournament after their 3-1 victory over the Topeka RoadRunners in the decisive Game 5 of the South Division finals of the Robertson Cup Playoffs on Monday night.

Amarillo’s series victory, coupled with the Michigan Warriors’ 2-1 Game 5 victory over the St. Louis Bandits in the North Division finals, means the Warriors and the Central Division playoff champion Bismarck Bobcats, who downed the Coulee Region Chill, 3-1, in Game 5 of the Central Division finals, will play a best-of-three play-in series to determine the league’s fourth and final berth to the event, which will be held from May 3-7 in Topeka, Kan.

Given the NAHL’s new playoff format this season, the RoadRunners receive an automatic bid to the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament as hosts and are the No. 4 seed as a non-division playoff champion.

As the West Division champions with the highest regular-season point total of the remaining playoff teams, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs (83 points) also receive a berth to the event and are the No. 1 seed.

As the South champions with the second-highest regular-season point total of the remaining playoff teams, Amarillo (78 points) is the No. 2 seed at the tournament.

As the two remaining playoff teams with the fewest points in the regular season, Michigan (76) and Bismarck (67) will play in the best-of-three play-in series. The winner will advance to the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament as the No. 3 seed.

View the Robertson Cup Playoffs Format here.

View the Robertson Cup Playoffs Bracket here.