NAHL Weekend Preview

March 29, 2019

It is the second to last weekend of the 2018-19 NAHL regular season as 24 games highlight the schedule on Friday through Sunday.

14 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 2019 Robertson Cup Playoffs begin on April 11th.

NAHL Tie-breaking policy

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.

Watch all the action on HockeyTV

Click here for updated scores

Download the NAHL App (iOS - Google Play)

In the Central Division this weekend the big storyline is the battle for home ice in the first round with teams 2nd through 4th place separated by just a single point. With their 4-3 shootout win on Thursday night, the Austin Bruins are now tied for 3rd place with Minot at 68 points, which are just one point behind 2nd place Bismarck. The Bruins are in Aberdeen this weekend for a pair of games against the Wings. If the playoffs started today, it would be a first round match-up, but a lot of hockey still remains. Bismarck still controls their own destiny for home ice as with four games remaining they hold a one-point edge for 2nd place. The Bobcats will be on the road in Brookings this weekend. The final series has the Minot Minotauros hosting the Minnesota Wilderness.

In the East Division, the Northeast Generals look to close in on the final playoff spot as they enjoy a three-point lead with four games to play over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights. The Generals will host the Jamestown Rebels for two games, while the Knights are on the road in Johnstown for a pair of games. Despite winning the East a while ago, there is still plenty to play for the Tomahawks, who are looking to win the NAHL’s overall regular season title. The final series has the New Jersey Titans hosting the Maryland Black Bears.

In the Midwest, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs are just a single point away from clinching another Midwest Division title thanks to a 3-1 win on Thursday over the Kenai River Brown Bears. The Ice Dogs face the Brown Bears two more times this weekend as both teams will complete their regular seasons. The Minnesota Magicians look to keep their winning streak going with one more game in Janesville after a 4-2 win against the Jets on Thursday night. The final series features the Springfield Jr. Blues and Chippewa Steel finishing eight straight games against one another with a series in Springfield this weekend.

In the South, the battle for the fourth and final playoff spot may go down to the wire as the Corpus Christi IceRays hold a three point lead over the Topeka Pilots with a game in hand. The IceRays have a tall task however with three games in Amarillo this weekend against a motivated Bulls team. Amarillo is still in the running for the overall regular season title and forward Logan Jenuwine is just two goals shy of breaking the all-time single-season NAHL goal scoring record. Jenuwine’s 54 goals are one shy of the record of 55. Meanwhile, Topeka will look to gain ground on Corpus Christi with two home games against Lone Star. The final series has the Shreveport Mudbugs trying to get home ice in the first round as they host Odessa. The Mudbugs sit just two points behind Lone Star for 2nd place and home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

FRI, MARCH 29

Maryland at New Jersey - 7:00 PM EDT

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Johnstown - 7:30 PM EDT

Corpus Christi at Amarillo - 7:05 PM CDT

Bismarck at Brookings - 7:05 PM CDT

MN Magicians at Janesville - 7:05 PM CDT

Chippewa at Springfield - 7:05 PM CDT

Lone Star at Topeka - 7:05 PM CDT

Odessa at Shreveport - 7:11 PM CDT

Austin at Aberdeen - 7:15 PM CDT

MN Wilderness at Minot - 7:35 PM CDT

Kenai River at Fairbanks - 7:30 PM AKDT