The 2023/24 Elite League season is nearing its conclusion and the Genting Casino Coventry Blaze have a lot to play for as we aim to qualify for the post-season playoffs.
The top eight qualify and with Guildford Flames looking likely to secure their berth, we take a look at the remaining fixtures for the five teams (in current league order) battling it out for the final three places.
Fife Flyers
Glasgow Clan
Coventry Blaze
Dundee Stars
Nottingham Panthers
Who makes it?
Let the run-in begin!
COME ON YOU BLAZE!
Tie-breaking criteria
In the event of teams being equal on points at the end of a season, the following criteria will decide the final league ranking;
i. Total number of points.
ii. Total number of games won in regulation time.
iii. Total number of all games won (regulation, overtime and penalties).
iv. The results of games played between the relevant teams by applying points won, games won in regulation time, all games won (regulation time/overtime/penalties), in that order of priority.
v. Fewest regulation losses.
vi. Using away games: – points won, games won in regulation time, all games won (regulation time/overtime/penalties), in that order of priority.
vii. Goals scored.
viii. Goal Difference
ix. Fewest Penalty Minutes (Fair Play)
x. In the unlikely event of teams still being equal, teams will be ranked by the drawing of lots. Any prize monies determined by the position in a league or group by this means will be shared equally by the tying teams.
xi. Where a group of two or more teams is tied, then whenever a team can be eliminated due to the above order of priority, it shall be, by applying each of the above stages in order of such priority.
PLAYOFFS
Knockout Stages
a. The teams placed 1-8 at the end of the Regular Season Championship take part in the Quarter-Finals of the Playoffs in a two-legged aggregate score series of games with the overall winner of each series progressing further in the competition.
b. Seedings for the 2024 Playoffs will be based on final league standings at the conclusion of the 2023/24 regular season. The Elite League winners Sheffield Steelers will be seeded #1 for the playoffs, the league runners-up #2 and so on down to #8.
c. The 1st seed will play the 8th seed, 2nd vs 7th, 3rd vs 6th and 4th vs 5th. The higher seed in each quarter-final will get the choice of when they play their home leg.
Playoff Finals Weekend – POFW
a. The 2024 Playoff Finals Weekend will take place in Nottingham on 20 and 21 April 2024 with the Semi-Finals taking place on the Saturday and the third v fourth-placed match and Grand Final on the Sunday.
b. All games played at POFW are standalone games with the two winning teams progressing to the Grand Final on the Sunday and the two losing teams the third v fourth-placed match.
c. Seedings for the semi-final and final will be determined by the original quarter-final ranking, so the highest-placed team left in the playoffs will be ranked as the highest seed.
i. The highest seed will play the lowest seed in the first semi-final, with the remaining seeds playing in the second semi-final.
ii. The highest seeded team in each game will have the home advantage.
