NAHL Weekend Preview
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… the Robertson Cup Playoffs!
16 teams remain in the quest for the Robertson Cup and the playoffs begin tonight, Friday, April 21st.
Two more players made NCAA commitments this week bringing the yearly total to 244 players who have committed to play NCAA hockey in 2022-23.
The Central Division provides some real intrigue because the two match-ups are the same that it has been for the last two weeks of the regular season. Minot will travel to Austin for the 4 vs. 1 match-up. The Bruins have had the division clinched for almost a month and won 8 of the 12 match-ups against Minot this season. In the other series, Aberdeen has swept the last two weeks against St. Cloud and also hold a perfect 8-0 record against the Norsemen this season.
In the East, the Maryland Black Bears want to make sure their division title means something; however, they will have their hands full in their series with the Generals. The Generals won the season series, 5-3. The series also is a match-up of two of top 9 offenses in the league. New Jersey begins its title defense against Maine, having won five the eight contests this season. There hasn’t been a back-to-back winner of the Robertson Cup since the 2009-10 season.
In the Midwest, the battle of Wisconsin goes down in one Semi-Final as the Division Champion Windigo go head-to-head against Chippewa. The Windigo won 6 of the 8 games this season and have been riding a strong defense and solid goaltending to this point. The Steel will need a big performance out of goalie Adam Gajan. In the other series, the Wilderness host Kenai River. The Wilderness were 4-0-1 against the Brown Bears this season and enter the playoffs on a 3-game winning streak.
In the South, the 1 vs. 4 match-up is fill of intrigue as Amarillo enters the weekend on a nine-game winning streak. The Warriors won six of the eight match-ups this season and bring the NAHL’s #1 offense to the mix. The other series sees familiar foes go at it as Lone Star and Shreveport clash. They are the top two teams defensively in the NAHL and Shreveport won 5 of the 8 match-ups this season.
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Division Semi-Finals (Best of 5)
The Club seeded first in each division will compete in a best-of-five series with the fourth seeded Club in the same division. The Club seeded second in each division will compete in a best-of-five-series against the Club seeded third in the same division. The Division Semi-Finals may begin no earlier than Thursday, April 20, 2023, and must conclude no later than Monday, May 1, 2023. The Club seeded higher in each division semifinal series has the right to host up to three games and the Club seeded lower in each division semifinal series must be able to host at least two games.
Central Division Semi-Finals (best of 5)
#1 Austin Bruins vs. #4 Minot Minotauros
Game 1: Friday, April 21 @ Austin, 7:05pm
Game 2: Saturday, April 22 @ Austin, 7:05pm
Game 3: Friday, April 28 @ Minot, 7:35pm
Game 4: Saturday, April 29 @ Minot, 7:35pm*
Game 5: Monday, May 1 @ Austin, 7:05pm*
#2 Aberdeen Wings vs. # St. Cloud Norsemen
Game 1: Friday, April 21 @ Aberdeen, 7:15pm
Game 2: Saturday, April 22 @ Aberdeen, 7:15pm
Game 3: Friday, April 28 @ St. Cloud, 7:15pm
Game 4: Saturday, April 29 @ St. Cloud, 7:00pm*
Game 5: Monday, May 1 @ Aberdeen, 7:15pm*
East Division Semi-Finals (best of 5)
#1 Maryland Black Bears vs. #4 Northeast Generals
Game 1: Friday, April 21 @ Maryland, 7:00pm
Game 2: Saturday, April 22 @ Maryland, 7:00pm
Game 3: Wednesday, April 26 @ Northeast, 7:00pm
Game 4: Thursday, April 27 @ Northeast, 7:00pm*
Game 5: Saturday, April 29, @ Maryland, 6:30pm*
#2 New Jersey Titans vs. #3 Maine Nordiques
Game 1: Friday, April 21 @ New Jersey, 7:30pm
Game 2: Saturday, April 22 @ New Jersey, 7:00pm
Game 3: Thursday, April 27 @ Maine, 7:00pm
Game 4: Friday, April 28 @ Maine, 7:00pm*
Game 5: Sunday, April 30 @ New Jersey, 7:00pm*
Midwest Division Semi-Finals (best of 5)
#1 Wisconsin Windigo vs. #4 Chippewa Steel
Game 1: Friday, April 21 @ Wisconsin, 7:00pm
Game 2: Saturday, April 232 @ Wisconsin, 7:00pm
Game 3: Friday, April 28 @ Chippewa, 7:00pm
Game 4: Saturday, April 29 @ Chippewa, 7:00pm*
Game 5: Sunday, April 30 @ Wisconsin, 6:00pm*
#2 Minnesota Wilderness vs, #3 Kenai River Brown Bears
Game 1: Friday, April 21 @ Minnesota, 7:15pm
Game 2: Saturday, April 22 @ Minnesota, 7:15pm
Game 3: If Minnesota is up 2-0, Friday, April 28 @ Kenai River, 7:30pm
Game 3: If series is tied 1-1 or Kenai River is up 2-0, Sunday, April 23 @ Minnesota, 5:15pm
Game 4: Friday, April 28 or Saturday, April 29 @ Kenai River, 7:30pm*
Game 5: Saturday, April 29 or Sunday, April 30 @ Kenai River, 7:30pm*
South Division Semi-Finals (best of 5)
#1 Oklahoma Warriors vs. #4 Amarillo Wranglers
Game 1: Friday, April 21 @ Oklahoma, 7:15pm
Game 2: Saturday, April 22 @ Oklahoma, 7:15pm
Game 3: Friday, April 28 @ Amarillo, 7:15pm
Game 4: Saturday, April 29 @ Amarillo, 7:15pm
Game 5: Monday, May 1 @ Oklahoma, 7:15pm
#2 Lone Star Brahmas vs. #3 Shreveport Mudbugs
Game 1: Friday, April 21 @ Lone Star, 7:30pm
Game 2: Saturday, April 22 @ Lone Star, 7:30pm
Game 3: Friday, April 28 @ Shreveport, 7:11pm
Game 4: Saturday, April 29 @ Shreveport, 7:11pm*
Game 5: Monday, May 1 @ Lone Star, 7:00pm*
*if necessary
Playoff Overtime Procedure: During 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.
