Playoff Decision

On Nov 29, 2018, the rules were updated to reflect the leagues desired method of determining who advances into the next round using the new 6 team format. It was decided that the three teams who won and one of the losing teams would advance. How that team was decided was whoever had the best plus/minus for the first round would advance, and should there be a tie, that would be broken by way of regular season standings. After round one, the Lynx and the Slayers had the same plus/minus, so when we go to the regular season standings, the Slayers finished higher so they advance to the semifinals.

The rule then goes on to say that the teams advancing will be reseeded with the highest seed facing off against the fourth seed (the losing team that advances). This indicates that the losing team that advances is automatically seeded last of the four teams. If this stipulation was not in the rules, then no clarification would need to happen. But it was and is there, and although we failed to make it as clear as one would like, it does identify that the losing team will be seeded fourth.

So with this in mind, the league is taking the stance that the seedlings will be as follows for the semifinals.

1st Hackers

2nd Chill

3rd Sabres

4th Slayers

Common sense should tell one that if you lose you should not be considered the top seed going forward. The argument of "finishing first hast to be worth something " is valid to a point. The value that it has in this instance is that the first place team faced off against the last placed team and if they won, would maintain top seeding during the playoffs. Where the Slayers lost in the first round, finishing first during the regular season has ensured that they will move on into the semifinals. This is what I feel to be a huge benefit of finishing first in the league during regular season.

I hope that those who were wondering where things stand can understand the logic behind the decision. It is not changing the rules but in fact a clarification of what the rule was and is intended to be.

So the Semifinals will be played this coming Monday as follows:

Chill vs Sabres 7:00PM

Slayers vs Hackers 8:00PM

Thanks for your patience and best of luck to the teams still standing.

Martin Kane

HFHL Commissioner