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 end of the regular season in March.
NCDC
8 games today, 52 total remaining.
With yesterday’s victory, the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders have clinched the 2023-24 NCDC Founders Cup, indicative of the Regular Season Championship.
Congratulations to Coach Mike Marcou, his staff, all the players and the team management for this great milestone.
Everyone is in action this Saturday except the Islanders Hockey Club and Northern Cyclones.
New England Division
South Shore (No. 2) host Twin City (No. 6)
Utica (No. 3) host the Junior Bruins (No. 4)
The Junior Bruins (No. 4) magic number vs. Twin City is 2. The Bruins hold the tiebreaker. A Twin City regulation loss or a Bruins win clinches a berth for the Bruins and insures that Twin City will finish no higher than fifth.
A Utica win today locks them into third and leaves the Junior Bruins, Cyclones and Twin City grappling for play in game rights.
Atlantic Division
WBS Knights (No. 5) at Jersey Hitmen (No. 6)
P.A.L. Jr. Islanders (No. 1) at Connecticut Jr. Rangers (No. 3)
Mercer Chiefs (No. 2) at Rockets Hockey Club (No. 4)
Mercer’s magic number vs. the Hitmen is 1. They need a point today or a Hitmen loss to clinch.
Mercer is starting to pull away from the pack. They are six points up on Connecticut and both teams have six games left.
Otherwise, third through sixth are in a tight cluster with nothing to be resolved today.
Mountain Division
Rock Springs (No. 6) at Utah (No. 1)
Provo (No. 3) at Idaho Falls (No. 4)
Ogden (No. 2) at Pueblo (No. 5)
Utah did leapfrog Ogden into first yesterday. Ogden are a point behind but have two games in hand.
A Provo win and a Pueblo regulation loss will secure a berth for Provo and leave Idaho Falls and Pueblo to battle for the last slot. Idaho Falls is up a point on Pueblo with a game in hand.
