NAHL PLAY-OFF FORMAT

NAHL Playoff Format   

Play in Series-North Division Only

Seeding. Clubs within the North Division will be seeded based upon their finish in the NAHL regular-season standings. If necessary, the tie-breaking policy adopted in NAHL Rule and Regulation 13.1 will be applied to determine the final order of finish.

Play In Series Matchups. The Club seeded third in the North Division will compete in a best-of-three series with the sixth seeded Club in the North Division. The Club seeded fourth the North Division will compete in a best-of-three-series against the Club seeded fifth in the North Division. The Clubs seeded one and two in the North Division shall receive a bye into the division semi-finals.

Playoff Dates. The North Division Play in Series may begin no earlier than Thursday, April 4, 2013 and must conclude no later than Monday, April 8, 2013.

Scheduling. Clubs shall cooperate to schedule play in series competition. The Club seeded higher in each division play in series has the right to host two games and the lower seeded Club has the right to host one game in accordance with the schedule set forth below:

1. Clubs separated by a distance of over 300 miles- If the Clubs facing each other in a play in series are separated by a distance greater than 300 miles, then the top seeded Club shall host games 1 and 2, and the lower seeded club shall host game 3 (if necessary).
2. Clubs separated by a distance of 300 miles or less-If the Clubs facing each other in a play in series are separated by a distance of 300 miles or less, then the top seeded Club shall host game 1, the lower seeded Club shall host game 2, and the top seeded club shall host game 3 (if necessary).
3. The NAHL Executive Committee shall determine the schedule of play in series competition in any series of games where there is no mutual agreement between the competing Clubs.

Three-Game Series. The first Club to win two games in the play in series will be declared the winner of the series and advance to the North Division semifinals. The first Club to lose two games in the play in series shall be eliminated from further playoff competition.

Round 1-Division Semifinals-Best of Five Series.

Seeding. Clubs are seeded within their own division based upon their finish in the NAHL regular-season standings. If necessary, the tie-breaking policy adopted in NAHL Rule and Regulation 13.1 will be applied to determine the final order of finish.

Division Matchups

1. Central, South and West Divisions. The Club seeded first in each division will compete in a best-of-five series with the fourth seeded Club in the same division. The Club seeded second in each division will compete in a best-of-five-series against the Club seeded third in the same division.
2. North Division. The Club seeded first in the North division will compete in a best-of-five series against the lowest seeded Club advancing from the play in series. The Club seeded second in each division will compete in a best-of-five-series against the highest seeded Club advancing from the play in series.

Playoff Dates. Round 1 of the playoffs may begin no earlier than Thursday, April 4, 2013 and must conclude no later than Sunday, April 21, 2013.

Scheduling. Clubs shall cooperate to schedule division semifinal series competition. The Club seeded higher in each division semifinal series has the right to host up to three games in Round 1, and the Club seeded lower in each division semifinal series must be able to host at least two games.

Cooperative Scheduling. The NAHL Executive Committee shall determine the schedule of Round 1 playoff competition in any series of games where there is no mutual agreement between the competing Clubs. In a series in which the Clubs are separated by a significant distance, it is strongly recommended that the higher-seeded Club play the first two games of the series on the road so that, if a game 5 is necessary, it may be played at the higher seeded Club's home rink without requiring additional travel.

Five Game Series. The first Club to win three games in a division semifinal series will be declared the winner of the series and advance to the next round of playoff competition. The first Club to lose three games in a division semifinal series shall be eliminated from further playoff competition. Official's costs will be split evenly between the Clubs.

Round 2-Division Final-Best of Five Series

Matchup. The two Clubs in each division that won a division semifinal series shall compete in a best-of-five series against each other.

Playoff Dates. Round 2 of the division finals may begin no earlier than Thursday, April 25, 2013 and conclude no later than Sunday May 5, 2013.

Scheduling. Clubs shall cooperate to schedule division final series competition. The higher seeded Club will have the right to host up to three games. The lower seeded Club must be able to host a minimum of two games.

1. Cooperative Scheduling. The NAHL Executive Committee will determine the schedule of division final series competition in any series of games where there is no mutual agreement between the competing Clubs. In a series in which the Clubs are separated by a significant distance, it is strongly recommended that the higher-seeded team play the first two games of the series on the road so that, if a game 5 is necessary, it may be played at the higher seeded team's home rink without requiring additional travel.

Five Game Series. The first Club to win three games in a division final series will be declared the winner of the series and advance to the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament. The first Club to lose three games in a division final series will be eliminated from further playoff competition. Official's costs will be split evenly between the teams.

Round 3-NAHL Robertson Cup National Championship Tournament

Tournament Format. The four divisional playoff champions will compete in a three-game round robin format followed by a championship game. All teams will play each other once in round robin play. After round robin play is completed, teams will be seeded 1 thru 4 based upon their point totals in round robin play. The #1 seeded team shall face the #2 seeded team in the championship game. The #3 and #4 seeded teams are eliminated from the tournament.

Round Robin Point System. During round robin play, two (2) points are awarded for a win and zero (0) points are awarded for a loss.

Overtime Procedure. During Robertson Cup play, if the score is tied after three periods of play the following shall take place:

1. Teams shall return to their dressing room and the ice shall be resurfaced. A fifteen minute intermission shall take place.
2. A twenty-minute, sudden death, overtime period shall be played with 5 skaters a side.
3. The game shall terminate upon a goal being scored and the Club scoring declared the winner. If no goal is scored, the same procedure as above shall be repeated until a winner has been determined.
4. Clubs will change ends each overtime period

Schedule. Clubs will be seeded 1-4 based upon their finish in the NAHL regular- season standings. If necessary, the tie-breaking policy adopted in NAHL Rule and Regulation 13.1 will be applied to determine the final order. The game schedule will be as follows:

Day 1: 1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3
Day 2: 1 vs. 3, 2 vs. 4
Day 3: 1 vs. 2, 3 vs. 4
Day 4: Championship

Round Robin Tie Breaker. If two or more Clubs have an equal number of points at the conclusion of round robin play, their position in the standings shall be determined as follows:

1. Games between Clubs tied, only. The results of the games played between the affected Clubs tied in the following order:
   1. In head to head competition. If one Club beats all other Clubs involved in the tie during the round-robin competition, the winning team advances to the championship game.
   2. Sum. By subtracting goals scored against from goals scored for in the games played involving the Clubs tied the Club's position shall be in the order of the greatest surplus.
   3. Quotient. By dividing the goals scored for in the games played involving the Clubs tied during the round robin by the goals scored against, the Club's positions being determined in the order of the greatest quotient.
2. Entire Tournament Competition. If (a) above shall not apply or if, after applying the formulas ((a) 1, 2 or 3), the tie still exists, then subparagraphs 2 or 3 shall be applied using all of the games played during the tournament by the Clubs tied. The formula shall be applied in the order set forth above until one formula breaks the tie and establishes a victorious Club.
3. Coin Flip: A coin flip procedure shall be used in case of a tie, after the round robin games, that is not broken by the above tiebreakers.
4. Important Note: In the event of a 3 way tie at the conclusion of round robin play, the tiebreaking procedures listed above will be utilized to determine the #1 team. Next, the results of head to head competition will be used to break the tie between the remaining two clubs, with the club that won the head to head matchup advancing on, if applicable.