2009-2010 Winter League Playoffs

The top teams from the regular season will advance to the 2009-2010 Winter Playoffs. The tournament will be held Monday, April 5 through Sunday, April 11 with most weekend games being held at Bloomington Ice Gardens.

Format:
Elite & B1:
Top four teams from regular season advance to playoffs
Double-elimination format

B2 & D2:
Top six teams advance to playoffs
One pool, round robin (3 games each)
Tier Championship Sunday (top two pool play records)

C1 & C2:
Top four teams from each division advance to playoffs
Three pools, round robin (3 games each)
Top four teams (3 pool winners plus next best pool play record) advance to single-elimination Saturday night
Tier Championship Sunday – two semi-final winners

Pools:
Pool A: East #1, North #2, West #3, East #4
Pool B: North #1, West #2, East #3, North #4
Pool C: West #1, East #2, North #3, West #4

D1:
Top four teams from each division advance to playoffs
Two pools, round robin (3 games each)
Pool Championship (top two records in each pool) Saturday night
Tier Championship Sunday – both Pool Championship winners

Pools:
Pool A: East #1, West #2, West #3, East #4
Pool B: West #1, East #2, East #3, West #4

Schedule/Standings:

Schedule

Standings

Regular Season Tiebreaker:
In the event of a tie in the regular season standings, the following criteria is used to determine seeding:

1. Total points in the regular season.
2. Number of wins in the regular season.
3. Head-to-Head record between teams in the regular season.
4. Fewest total penalty minutes in the regular season.
5. Fewest goals allowed in the regular season.
6. Most goals scored in the regular season.
7. Coin toss.

Playoff Rules/Tiebreakers

• There will be no overtime in round-robin pool play. Games will end in ties and will count in the standings.
• If at any time the score differential is 6 or greater in the 3rd period, the clock will convert to running time. If at any time the score goes below 6 goals, the clock will revert back to stop time.
• 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, running time. 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. The Away team will shoot first.
• 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. No skater may partipate more than once until all other skaters have participated.
  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:
  • 1) Most points
  • 2) Wins
  • 3) Head-to-head
  • 4) Goal differential (6 goals max per game)
  • 5) Fewest goals against
  • 6) Fewest minor penalties
  • 7) Fewest total penalty minutes
  • 8) Earliest goal scored
  • 9) Coin toss
  • Note: If three teams are tied, once a team is determined as the higher seed, the tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the criteria between two remaining teams if necessary.
    For complete rules, refer to the AHA Rules Addendum