By USPHL Staff
In The Playoff Push, we will take a look at the busiest game days’ most integral games in regards to teams clinching playoffs or clinching specific playoff berths, as we head down the stretch toward the start of playoffs in early March.
USPHL Premier
15 games today
There are only two divisions where the final berths are in play. Everything else is positioning.
Southeast: Potomac (No. 1) plays Hampton Roads (No. 4) today and will finish the season on Sunday vs. Carolina (No. 3). Four Potomac points clinches first. Anything less has them scoreboard watching while idle Charlotte finishes up with three games next weekend.
Should Potomac lose a game this weekend, it will likely be against someone they will see in the playoffs.
Pacific: Fresno (No. 1) hosts the Northwest No. 1 Vernal. Fresno’s magic number is four against Ontario (second) to lock up first. Ontario hosts San Diego.
In the Atlantic, Wilkes-Barre (No. 2) hosts the Cyclones (No. 2 New England). WBS are on their way to clinching second and hosting the Hitmen. They need two points to bump Hershey (No. 3) and four points to bump Elmira (No. 4). Hershey visits Utica (No. 1 New England) today.
In the Midwest West, the Minnesota Blue Ox (No. 4) visits Isanti (No. 9). Isanti have three games in hand on the Ducks (No. 8). This is one of those games.
USPHL Elite
6 games today
Tampa clinched first yesterday in the Florida Division. There is no Florida Division action today.
The Florida Eels (No. 3) will play Atlanta (No. 2) the second weekend in March although we won’t know who gets last change until later this month. Tampa will host whomever emerges from the Blades/Battalion/Typhoon dogfight. The Jr. Blades (4) play the Eels this weekend. The other two dogs are idle. A Jr. Blades point will eliminate Bold City.
A Potomac (No. 2) win over Hampton (No. 4) will put the Patriots in first for a day. Carolina (No. 1) plays Hampton tomorrow and Potomac on Sunday. Potomac finishes this weekend. Carolina will have two in hand.
The Midwest is in full swing today. All teams have clinched, but there are still positions up for grabs. We’ll wade through the quagmire of magic numbers and if/thens tomorrow. Metro Elite has a first round bye. Five teams are still in contention for that second place bye. The Crush (No. 2) is in the lead with more points and the fewest games played. They play Decatur (No. 6) today. The Cougars (No. 5) see Metro this morning.The Gamblers (No. 3) visit Fort Wayne (No. 4). Whoever wins, it will help the Crush, especially if they win too.
