CHL, Bucks to Play 66 Game Season, New Playoff Format

July 14, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Laredo Bucks News Release


LAREDO, TX- The Laredo Bucks, in conjunction with the Central Hockey League, announced Wednesday that the 2010-11 regular season will be 66 games as well as a new playoff format has been put in place.

REGULAR SEASON INCREASED FROM 64 TO 66 GAMES

The Bucks 66-game regular season, which will include 33 home and 33 away games, will start on Friday October 15th and conclude on Sunday March 27th. The complete 2010-11 schedule will be released in the coming weeks.

The 66-game schedule is the league's longest since the CHL/WPHL merger in 2001-02 making it the longest in Bucks franchise history.

From 1997 to 2001 the CHL had a 70-game regular season.

NEW CHL PLAYOFF FORMAT

For the first time since the 2007-08 season the CHL will have a new playoff format with more teams qualifying for postseason play.

The 2010-2011 Central Hockey League playoff format is as follows:

- A total of sixteen (16) of eighteen (18) teams will qualify for the post-season, consisting of eight (8) clubs from each conference. Both conference winners will be seeded 1st in their conference heading into the playoffs based on point totals. The next seven (7) highest teams in each conference's regular season standings based on point totals will be seeded 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th in each conference and will also qualify for post-season play.

- The playoffs will consist of four (4) rounds. (Conference Quarterfinals - Best-of-5, Conference Semifinals - Best-of-5, Conference Finals - Best-of-7, CHL Championship Finals - Best-of-7).

- The brackets for the post-season will remain constant with no re-seeding taking place during the competition.

- The second round (Conference Semifinals) will consist of the victorious four (4) teams from each Conference's Quarterfinals series'.

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

- The fourth round (Championship Finals) will consist of the victorious two (2) teams remaining, one from each conference. Home ice advantage in the 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.

The Bucks will start their ninth CHL season on October 15th with their home opener October 23rd at Laredo Energy Arena . Season tickets are on sale now for the 2010-11 season. Call 718-BUCK (2825) to place our order now.



Central Hockey League Stories from July 14, 2010


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