CHL Division Winners All But Decided in Three of Four Divisions

With just 33 days remaining in the Central Hockey League's regular season, each contest becomes more and more crucial as teams jockey for post-season berths in the President's Cup Playoffs. Three teams have all but officially secured playoff berths already, as the Memphis RiverKings, Odessa Jackalopes and Oklahoma City Blazers hold double-digit point leads in their respective divisions, and barring a major collapse should earn home ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Memphis RiverKings have cruised to a CHL-leading 36 wins this season, and with a 21 point bulge in the Northeast Division should head into the Northern Conference playoffs as the top seed. While not as dominating as Memphis this year, the Oklahoma City Blazers hold an 11-point lead in the Northwest Division and are expected to claim the second seed in the Northern Conference. After the division winners, however, it gets much more cloudy in the battle for the remaining two playoff slots. Currently the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (49 points) and Fort Worth Brahmas (48) hold those positions, but the Tulsa Oilers remain a definite factor just two points behind the Brahmas. Indianapolis (40 points), Wichita (38) and Amarillo (33) will have to record tremendous finishes to compete for a playoff berth.

After the Odessa Jackalopes (16 point lead in the Southwest Division), the playoff race is even more muddled in the Southern Conference. The Austin Ice Bats have a sizable seven-point advantage over San Antonio in the Southeast, but finish the season with 13 consecutive road games, giving the Iguanas ample time to mount a challenge for the division crown. The real race appears to be for the fourth and final Southern Conference post-season berth, as just two points separates four teams currently in the hunt. New Mexico (54 points), Lubbock (53) El Paso (52) and San Angelo (52) all have designs on the post-season, but in all likelihood three teams won't qualify. New Mexico appears to have an advantage with 10 of their remaining 16 games on home ice, while the other three contenders have more road contests than home games the remainder of the season.

The 2001/2002 President's Cup Finals will begin as early as Wednesday, March 20th, and will feature eight of the Central Hockey League's 16 teams. The Conference Semi-Finals will be played in a best of five games format, while the Conference Finals and President's Cup Finals will both be best of seven games series. To earn the President's Cup, the playoff champion will have to record a total of 11 post-season victories.


| Back to index...

Search Archive »





Browse by Month »

May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
February 2003
January 2003
December 2002
November 2002
October 2002
September 2002
August 2002
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
January 2002
December 2001
October 2001
September 2001
July 2001
May 2001
February 2000