CHL Rapid City Rush

CHL Announces Conference Alignment and Playoff Format for 2009-10 Season

July 8, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rapid City Rush News Release


(Tempe, Arizona) - The Central Hockey League (CHL) announced today that the league's Board of Governors' has approved the conference alignment and playoff format for the 2009-10 season.

The league's 15 teams will be divided into two conferences (no divisions) with an eight team Southern Conference and a seven team Northern Conference. The conference alignment will be as follows:

Northern Conference (7)

Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs

Colorado Eagles

Mississippi RiverKings

Missouri Mavericks

Rapid City Rush

Tulsa Oilers

Wichita Thunder

Southern Conference (8)

Allen Americans

Amarillo Gorillas

Arizona Sundogs

Corpus Christi IceRays

Laredo Bucks

Odessa Jackalopes

Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees

Texas Brahmas

Additionally, the CHL's Board of Governors' voted to keep the same playoff format that the league has had for each of the last two seasons with 10 teams qualifying for post-season play (the top five teams from each conference). Visit www.centralhockeyleague.com for the complete playoff format.

2009-2010 Playoff Format

The 2009-2010 Central Hockey League playoff format is as follows:

- A total of ten (10) of fifteen (15) teams will qualify for the post-season, consisting of five (5) clubs from each conference. Both conference winners will be seeded either 1st or 2nd in their conference heading into the playoffs based on point totals. The next four (4) highest teams in each conference's regular season standings based on point totals will be seeded 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th in each conference and will also qualify for post-season play.

- The playoffs will consist of four (4) rounds. (Opening Round - Best of 3, Conference Semi-Finals - Best of 7, Conference Finals - Best of 7, Ray Miron President's Cup Finals - Best of 7).

- The opening round (Opening Round) will feature one (1) separate series of play in each conference, with the 4th seed playing the 5th seed. Both Opening Round series must be completed no later than the first Thursday after the completion of the regular season.

- The second round (Conference Semi-Finals) will consist of the victorious two (2) teams from each conference's Opening Round, along with the top three (3) seeds in each conference. The 1st seed will play the winner of the first round series, and the 2nd seed will play the 3rd seed in each conference in a best-of-seven series.

- The third round (Conference Finals) will consist of the victorious two (2) teams remaining from each conference, with Conference Semi-Final seeding remaining in effect to determine home ice advantage.

- The fourth round (President's Cup Final) will consist of the victorious two (2) teams remaining, one from each conference. Home ice advantage in the Ray Miron President's Cup Finals will be awarded to the club with the higher regular season point total, regardless of any earlier playoff seeding.

Should two (2) or more teams be tied in points for any seeding issue throughout the playoffs, the following tiebreakers will be used: Most wins, then head-to-head record, then

goals for and against differential.

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