B.M.H.L. Cup Playoffs begin this week

Jordan Bray
bothwellmenshockey.com

BOTHWELL - The 2015 version of the chase for the B.M.H.L. Cup gets underway this week when teams go to battle on March 22. The playoff format has taken on a different look just about every year for the past 8 seasons, but B.M.H.L. Executive are confident that the 2015 B.M.H.L. Cup Playoffs will give players and fans more of what they've been looking for.

Unlike the past 2 seasons, this year's playoffs give EVERY TEAM something to be playing for, right to the final week - the Day of Champions. Heading into that final week, which is played on Saturday, March 28, each team has a mathematical opportunity to be walking out with the cup.

The playoffs begin on March 22, seeing the usual 1-8; 2-7; 3-6; 4-5 seeded format as recent years, but from there things are much different, and in the opinion of the executive, much better, as the regular season finish will play more of an impact in the proceedings.

When the dust has settled on the first week of playoffs, there will obviously be 4 winning teams and 4 losing teams. Of the winners, the two (2) highest seeded teams will get a bye directly to the semi-finals on the Day of Champions, while the other two (2) winning teams will get a bye directly to the quarter-finals.

The four teams who will have lost their opening playoff game will be forced to play for their playoff lives on the Day of Champions. Of those four losing teams, the highest seeded team will play the lowest seeded team, and the second-highest seeded team will play the second-lowest seeded team, with all teams needing to win to keep their B.M.H.L. Cup dreams alive. The losers of these two relegation games will play in the 2015 Toilet Bowl Championship at the Day of Champions, immediately before the B.M.H.L. Cup Finals.

In total, there will be 8 hours of ice on Saturday, March 28, 2015 for the Day of Champions, making it truly an entire day of champions. Each team will play a minimum of two (2) games that day, so players, fans, and media should be prepared to spend much of the day at the Bothwell Area Sports Centre.

Mathematically, if a team loses their first playoff game this week, they will need to play in and win 4 games at the Day of Champions to be crowned B.M.H.L. Cup Champions. Although it's not impossible, it will be a very tough hill to climb, which would only make tasting a championship drink from the cup even sweeter.