TRAVELLERS HOCKEY LEAGUE UPDATE

(for Monday, January 17, 2005)

THE PLAYOFFS HAVE BEGUN!!

Please note that the Travellers Winter Hockey League playoffs begin Monday, January 17th and will continue until Sunday, March 6th.

Here are the formats that will be followed for this year’s playoffs:

All teams have played an 18(eighteen) game regular season. All teams will now play a 5(five) game round robin. Once the round robin is completed, the following will occur:

First Place v.s. Fourth Place (Semifinal)

Second Place v.s. Third Place (Semifinal)

Winners of each game will meet in the final. The losers of those games will play a consolation game. The fifth and sixth place finishers will play a two game total points series.

A decision has not been taken whether to utilize a shootout or overtime format for semi final or championship games. The league favours the latter, however time availability may be a constraint and will certainly affect the final decision.

The League would ask all of its teams to familiarize themselves with all of its rules and regulations, including player eligibility.

· All players participating in the playoffs must have played at least 4 regular season games with their current team. Teams may only play on a maximum of one team per division.

· Teams will be allowed to designate two players per team who have played only three games with the team during the regular season. A team must choose and advise the league (in writing) prior to the playoffs just who these two players will be (only if there are more than two eligible players).

· The rules for player eligibility do not apply for goaltenders. A team will NO LONGER need to contact the League and request permission to use an alternate goaltender during the playoffs. It would only ask that all teams to use proper judgement whenever using a goaltender in the playoffs for the first time. As an example, it would not be considered ethically correct for a Division 12 team to bring out a Division 1 calibre goaltender for a playoff game.

· The stats that appear on the website are official. Should you have a concern about the eligibility of one of your players, please contact the League immediately (only for player eligibility, not statistical errors).

· Any team caught using an ineligible player during the playoffs will NOT be eligible to participate in future Travellers seasons.

· The League would ask all teams that you contact it by phone or email should an attendance problem become a major issue prior to a round robin playoff game.

· The rules for playoff eligibility are waived whenever a team has been eliminated from advancing to its division finals and plays against a team with a similar fate.

· NOTE: All teams, who finished in first place in their respective divisions after the completion of the regular season, will begin the playoffs with an additional two points. The League’s computer program (website) will show an extra win (however the extra win will not be included in any tie breakers).

· Please note that the League’s program does not factor certain tie breakers (see below) in its standings page (ie. Two teams tied with a previous head to head meeting).

TIE BREAKERS

IF TWO TEAMS ARE TIED IN POINTS…

18. TIE-BREAKERS (RULE 18 on the website, Rules and Regulations).

The following tiebreakers will be used if TWO teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season or round robin playoff:

A Head to head matchup

B) Most wins

C) Goals For minus Goals Against

D) Fewest Goals Allowed

E) Most Goals Scored

Note: Regular season records do not factor in.

Note: Teams finishing in first place in the regular season were awarded an extra 2 pts to begin the round robin, and NOT an extra win

(although the standings show otherwise).

IF THREE TEAMS ARE TIED IN POINTS…

The following tiebreakers will be used if THREE OR MORE teams are tied at the end of the regular season or round robin playoff:

A) Best winning % between the teams involved.

B) Most Wins

C) Goals For minus Goals Against

Example: If Team A, B and C are tied in points after the round robin, then the League considers the records of the games played between each other

in the round robin ONLY.

TEAM A won 4-3 over Team B

TEAM A won 3-2 with Team C

Team C won 2-1 over Team B

Tie Breaker: A, C, B.