Monday, March 16, 2009

WHL Tie Breaker

Press Release

Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League announced today that there will be a tie-breaker game played between the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Prince Albert Raiders for the eighth and final playoff spot in the WHL’s Eastern Conference. Both Clubs finished the WHL regular season with 67 points apiece and will now face off in the fourth tie-breaker game in WHL history.

The WHL regulation for a tie in the standings for the final playoff spot dictates that a sudden-death game will be played with the victor advancing into the playoffs. “In the event two Clubs are tied in points for the last playoff position, then these Clubs will play a sudden-death game in the home arena of the Club having won the most games in WHL standings”. With the Prince Albert Raiders picking up 31 regular season wins, to the Oil Kings 29, the Raiders will host the tie-breaker game on Tuesday, March 17th at 7:30 pm in the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

The game will be played under similar rules as a WHL playoff game, with 20 minute sudden-death overtime periods should it be tied after regulation time. As well, video replay will be used for the game.

Previous WHL Tie-Breaker Games

1980-81: Spokane wins fourth place tie-breaker game vs. New Westminster 10-9.
1983-84: Calgary wins sixth place tie-breaker game at Saskatoon 8-7 in OT.
1989-90: Swift Current wins sixth place tie-breaker game vs. Brandon 5-4.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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