LNAH Playoff Scenarios: 2 Weekends Out

There are just 2 weekends remaining in the regular season. Laval has locked up the #1 spot, but with each team having 2-4 games remaining, every other position is still in play. If the LNAH playoffs started today, the following scenarios would apply. 

Laval (1) vs Riviere-du-Loup (8): Laval has sealed up the regular season championship. A lot would have to happen, including tie-breakers, to get Rivière-du-Loup out of the basement, so this pairing is all but a lock. 

Saint-Georges (2) vs Quebec (7): The rematch of last season’s epic upset is getting closer to reality. While Saint-Georges could drop as much as two places over the next two weeks, the National have all but sealed their fate as the #7 seed.

Saint-Hyacinthe (3) vs Jonquiere (6): The Bataillon have cooled off over the last 2 weeks but still have a lot of points on the table with 4 games to go. Still the three through six spots are a bit of a logjam so we stand to see a lot of movement as the season winds down. 

Sorel-Tracy (4) vs Thetford (5): What else can we say about Sorel-Tracy vaulting out of the #7 spot and now in position for home ice as the playoffs approach. On the other side, it’s business as normal for Thetford who have been a mid-card all season. 

2 weekends out, the case for: Sorel-Tracy

The Eperviers spent almost the entire season in a championship hangover but have recently re-discovered their winning ways. Last weekend they managed to climb out of the #7 slot and now sit in #4 spot,three points behind Saint-Hyacinthe, with 4 games to go.  

The Eperviers can make their case for taking home the Gilles-Rousseau Cup with solid goal tending. Last season’s Goalie of the Year Philippe Desrosiers is currently second in the league among regular starters in Wins and Goals Against Average, and third in Save percentage. In each category he trails the current leader by the slimmest of margins. Desrosiers' play can keep the team in any game. 

The team can also lay claim to consistency. Despite a rough year near the bottom of the standings, the Eperviers kept the roster intact with nearly no trade activity throughout the season. The Team that won it all last year is together, so there’s no gelling and new implementations to have to work through. 

Finally, simply put, they're entering the playoffs on a roll!  After a season at the bottom of the standings, the Eperviers have gotten hot at the right time. Playing .500 to start the second half of the season, the team has picked up the pace even more, winning their last 6 straight. During that time, they’ve vaulted from 7th place to 4th where they hold the final spot for home ice in the 1st round. Timing is everything.

Up Next (and Last): Thetford