NAHL announces 2006 playoff format, Mahoning Valley Phantoms to host Robertson Cup Tournament
Published on March 1, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL) News Release
Frisco, Texas -- The North American Hockey League has announced its schedule for the 2006 NAHL playoffs and the Robertson Cup National Championship Tournament, to be played at the Ice Zone in Boardman, Ohio, home of the Mahoning Valley Phantoms.
"We are very excited to bring this premier event to the Mahoning Valley," said Michael Santos, commissioner and president of the North American Hockey League. "We look forward to a very competitive tournament."
"I am personally committed to combining the strong resources of the Phantoms, the Ice Zone, and the B.J. Alan Company with the excellent array of hotels, restaurants and retail shopping available in Boardman, to provide a sure-fire formula for an outstanding hockey tournament and an exceptional experience for all of the visitors to the Mahoning Valley who will be here for the Robertson Cup National Championship Tournament," said Bruce J. Zoldan, owner of the Mahoning Valley Phantoms.
The league playoffs will begin with a best-of-five first round, the Divisional Semi-Final, which will start on or after Wednesday, March 29 and conclude no later than Sunday April 9. The best-of-seven second round, the Divisional Final, will begin on or after Wednesday, April 12 and conclude no later than Sunday, April 30. The precise schedule of games in these two rounds will be determined when the matchups have been determined.
The complete rules governing these playoff rounds and the National Championship round are appended to this release.
The four division winners will then proceed to Boardman for the Robertson Cup National Championship Tournament to be joined by the Phantoms. The teams will arrive on Tuesday, May 9, and play will begin Wednesday, May 10 (and if the Phantoms win the North Division playoffs, the team they defeated in the Divisional Final will join the tournament).
The teams will be seeded according to their finish in the NAHL's regular season standings and begin play according to the following schedule:
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Game 1 - 4th Seed vs. 1st Seed.
Game 2 - 3rd Seed vs. 2nd Seed.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Game 3 - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2.
Game 4 - Lower Seed of Winner of Game 1 and Winner of Game 2 vs. Mahoning Valley.
(Note - Loser of Game 3 is eliminated from further Robertson Cup Championship Tournament competition.)
Friday, May 12, 2006
Game 5 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4.
Game 6 - Higher Seed of Winner of Game 1 and Winner of Game 2 vs. Loser of Game 4.
(Note - Whichever of Game 5 or Game 6 that has Mahoning Valley as one of the competing clubs shall be the second game to be played on this day.)
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Game 7 (Third Place Game) - Loser of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 6.
Game 8 (Robertson Cup Championship Game) - Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6.
Please note: The NAHL will release on Thursday, March 3, a detailed explanation of the process by which this tournament's location was determined and the issues surrounding it. Then, on Friday, NAHL commissioner Michael Santos, NAHL chairman of the board Jason Martel of the Bozeman IceDogs and Bruce Zoldan, owner of the Mahoning Valley Phantoms will be available to the media on a conference call to take questions on the Robertson Cup National Championship Tournament.
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2006
NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
PLAYOFF FORMAT
NAHL Regular Season Ends Sunday March 26, 2006.
ROUND 1 - DIVISION SEMI-FINAL SERIES
Teams are seeded within their own division based upon their finish in the final 2005-06 NAHL regular season standings. If necessary, the tie-breaking policy in the NAHL Rules and Regulations will be applied to determine teams' order of finish.
The team seeded first in each division shall compete in a series of games against the team seeded fourth in the same division and the team seeded second in each division shall compete in a series of games against the team seeded third in the same division.
(Note - If Fairbanks and Wasilla qualify for West Division playoff competition, they may compete in a series of games against each other during Round 1 regardless of seeding if the other two West Division teams which qualify for playoff competition agree to compete in a series of games against each other.)
Round 1 playoff competition may begin no earlier than Wednesday March 29, 2006 and must conclude no later than Sunday April 9, 2006. Teams shall cooperate to schedule division semi-final series competition. The team seeded higher in each division semi-final series shall have the right to host a minimum of three (3) Round 1 games. The team seeded lower in each division semi-final series must be able to host a minimum of two (2) Round 1 games. The NAHL executive committee shall determine the schedule of Round 1 playoff competition in any series of games where there is not mutual agreement between the competing clubs.
The first team to win three (3) games in a division semi-final series shall be declared the winner of the series and advance to the next round of playoff competition. The first team to lose three (3) games in a division semi-final series shall be eliminated from further playoff competition.
ROUND 2 - DIVISION FINAL SERIES
Teams that win a division semi-final series shall be re-seeded within their own division based upon their finish in the final 2005-06 NAHL regular season standings. If necessary, the tie-breaking policy in the NAHL Rules and Regulations will be applied to determine teams' order of finish.
The two (2) teams in each division which won a division semi-final series shall compete in a series of games against each other.
Round 2 playoff competition may begin no earlier than Wednesday April 12, 2006 and conclude no later than Sunday April 30, 2006. Teams shall cooperate to schedule division final series competition. The team seeded higher in each division final series shall have the right to host a minimum of four (4) Round 2 games. The team seeded lower in each division final series must be able to host a minimum of three (3) Round 2 games. The NAHL executive committee shall determine the schedule of Round 2 playoff competition in any series of games where there is not mutual agreement between the competing clubs.
The first team to win four (4) games in a division final series shall be declared the winner of the series and advance to the next Round of playoff competition. The first team to lose four (4) games in a division final series shall be eliminated from further playoff competition.
ROUND 3 - ROBERTSON CUP CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
The four (4) teams that win a division final series shall compete in the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament as division representatives along with Mahoning Valley. (Note - If Mahoning Valley wins the division final series of the North Division, the team that lost the division final series of the North Division shall also qualify to compete in the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament as the representative of the North Division.)
The four (4) division representatives competing in the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament shall be seeded based upon their finish in the final 2005-06 NAHL regular season standings. If necessary, the tie-breaking policy in the NAHL Rules and Regulations will be applied to determine the teams' order of finish.
The home team for each game during Robertson Cup Championship Tournament competition shall be determined by the teams' finish in the final 2005-06 NAHL regular season standings with the higher ranking team declared the home team. If necessary, the tie-breaking policy in the NAHL Rules and Regulations will be applied to determine the teams' order of finish.
ROBERTSON CUP CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
(Note - The dates listed below may be adjusted slightly.)
Tuesday, May 9, 2006
Teams arrive.
Teams practice.
Banquet of Champions
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Game 1 - 4th Seed vs. 1st Seed
Game 2 - 3rd Seed vs. 2nd Seed
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Game 3 - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2
Game 4 - Lower Seed of Winner of Game 1 and Winner of Game 2 vs. Mahoning Valley
(Note - Loser of Game 3 is eliminated from further Robertson Cup Championship Tournament competition.)
Friday, May 12, 2006
Game 5 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4
Game 6 - Higher Seed of Winner of Game 1 and Winner of Game 2 vs. Loser of Game 4
(Note - Whichever of Game 5 or Game 6 that has Mahoning Valley as one of the competing clubs shall be the second game to be played on this day.)
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Game 7 (Third Place Game) - Loser of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 6
Game 8 (Robertson Cup Championship Game) - Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Teams depart
North American Hockey League Stories from March 1, 2006
- NAHL players of the week - NAHL
- NAHL announces 2006 playoff format, Mahoning Valley Phantoms to host Robertson Cup Tournament - NAHL
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