Playoff Picture Still Hazy for Rock and Eastern Division in NLL
Published on April 3, 2006 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Toronto Rock News Release
TORONTO - It's a fight to the finish in the NLL as 4 teams battle for the final three playoff spots in the National Lacrosse League's East Division. The Toronto Rock (7-7) will make the playoffs if they win their remaining two games; the Rock will host a home playoff game if they win both and Minnesota loses one of its three remaining games.
Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bandits (9-4) are the only team in the East Division to have clinched a playoff spot.
Here's a breakdown of all scenarios and how it affects the Rock.
If Toronto wins its final two games against Philadelphia and Rochester:
The Rock finishes with a 9-7 record and makes the playoffs. Toronto needs Minnesota to lose one of its remaining three games to guarantee hosting a home playoff game.
Minnesota (currently 7-6) could finish with a best possible record in this scenario (losing one of its three remaining games) of 9-7 and Toronto would have the tiebreaker (see below #2)
Philadelphia (currently 7-6) could finish with a best possible record of 9-7 but Toronto would have the tiebreaker in head to head play (see below #1)
Rochester (currently 7-7) could finish with a best possible record of 8-8 and would be lower than Toronto in the standings.
If Toronto splits its final games:
Win vs. Philly, Loss vs. Rochester
The Rock finishes with an 8-8 record and would need help from Buffalo (with 2 games remaining vs. Philly) and/or Minnesota to advance to the playoffs:
Minnesota could finish with a best possible record of 10-6. The Rock would need Minnesota to finish with an 8-8 record if Philadelphia finishes at 9-7, and lose two of its remaining games.
Philadelphia could finish with a best possible record of 9-7. If they finish 8-8, Toronto has the tiebreaker (see below #1)
Rochester could finish with a best possible record of 9-7 and would have the tiebreaker on Toronto if they finished at 8-8. (see below #1)
Loss vs. Philly, Win vs. Rochester
The Rock finishes with an 8-8 record and would need help from Buffalo (with 2 games remaining vs. Philly) and/or Minnesota to advance to the playoffs:
Minnesota could finish with a best possible record of 10-6. The Rock would need Minnesota to finish with an 8-8 record if Philadelphia finishes at 9-7, and lose two of its remaining games.
Philadelphia could finish with a best possible record of 10-6. If they finish 8-8, they have the tiebreaker. (see below #1)
Rochester could finish with a best possible record of 8-8 and Toronto would have the tiebreaker (see below #1).
If Toronto loses its final games
The Rock finishes with a 7-9 record and would need Minnesota to go winless in their final three games (vs. Rochester, San Jose and Portland). This would put Minnesota at 7-9 and Toronto would win the tiebreaker (see below #2).
The NLL divisional tiebreakers are
1) head to head record of teams tied (2 or more teams. If more than two teams are tied, the records of all games with the tied teams are taken into account
2) record against divisional opponents
East Division record against division opponents for remaining playoff-hopeful teams to date:
Philadelphia: 5-4 (2 games left vs. division vs. Toronto and two vs. Buffalo)
Rochester: 5-5 (2 games left vs. division vs. Minnesota and Toronto)
Toronto: 4-5 (2 games left in division vs. Philadelphia and Rochester)
Minnesota: 4-6 (1 game left in division vs. Rocehster)
Remaining games affecting Eastern Division opponents:
April 8
Philadelphia @ Toronto, 7 p.m.
Colorado @ Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota @ Rochester, 7:30 p.m.
April 9
San Jose @ Minnesoata, 6 p.m.
April 14
Philadelphia @ Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
April 15
Toronto @ Rochester, 7:30 p.m.
Buffalo @ Philadelphia, 8 p.m.
Portland @ Minnesota, 8 p.m.
2006 Divisions and Playoff Format
Playoff Format
The following is the format for the NLL post-season. All playoff games are single elimination:
1. The top four teams in each division shall earn playoff berths. Each division champion faces the fourth-place finisher from their division. The second-place finisher in each division faces the third-place finisher from their division in the Division Semi-finals. Each game is hosted by the higher-seeded team.
2. In the Divisional Finals, the winner of the first vs. fourth place Divisional Semi-final game faces the winner of the second vs. third place Divisional Semi-final game in each division respectively. Each game is hosted by the higher-seeded team.
3. The Divisional Final winners shall meet in the 2006 Championship Game, (East vs. West) with the higher overall seed hosting the game.
Overall Seeding
At the conclusion of the regular season, an overall seeding of teams takes place to determine which of the Divisional Final winning teams hosts the Championship Game. The division-winning club with the best regular-season record becomes the top overall seed and receives home advantage throughout the playoffs. The division-winning club with the lesser record of the two becomes the second-overall seed. The club with the best regular-season record among the non-division winning clubs becomes the third overall seed, followed by the club with the second-best record among non-division winners as the fourth seed, and so on.
NOTE - The following is the tie-breaking procedure for clubs having identical won-lost records at the conclusion of the regular season to determine the order of finish and seeding:
a) Head-to-head record during the regular season;
b) Win-loss record against common opponents played an equal number of games during the regular season;
c) Goals for/goals against in head-to-head match-ups;
d) Total goals for/goals against for the regular season;
e) Coin Toss.
Divisional Tiebreakers
The following is the tie-breaking procedure for clubs having identical won-lost records at the conclusion of the regular season within their division, to determine the order of finish and seeding within the division:
a) Head-to-head record during the regular season;
b) Win-loss record against divisional opponents;
c) Win-loss record against common opponents played an equal number of times during the regular season;
d) Goals for/goals against in head-to-head match-ups;
e) Total goals for/goals against within Division;
f) Total goals for/goals against for the regular season;
g) Coin toss.
National Lacrosse League Stories from April 3, 2006
- Jax clinch playoff spot in first season - Portland Lumberjax
- Roughnecks seek home playoff game - Calgary Roughnecks
- NLL secures Injunction against Brine Canada - NLL
- Wings Players Host Lacrosse Clinic For Southern New Jersey Lacrosse League - Philadelphia Wings
- Rock to welcome Millionth fan in franchise history on April 8 - Toronto Rock
- Playoff Picture Still Hazy for Rock and Eastern Division in NLL - Toronto Rock
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
