Guide To The Tiebreakers Of The OHL Playoffs
Toronto, ON: Several playoff positions have yet to be determined heading into the final week of games in the 2003-04 regular season schedule of games in the Ontario Hockey League.
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In the Eastern Conference, the Mississauga IceDogs are on the verge of claiming their first Eastern Conference regular season title. The sixth-year franchise leads the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors by two points and the Barrie Colts by four points with three games remaining on the schedule for each team.
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There is one playoff position still to be confirmed in the Western Conference with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds leading the Windsor Spitfires by one point with three games to play. If they are tied for the final playoff spot at the conclusion of the regular season on Sunday, they would play a sudden-death game on Tuesday March 16.
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For all other playoff positions, the following tie-breaking procedures are in place:
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1. The team with the most number of wins during the regular season shall be declared higher in the standings.
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2. If two teams are still tied, the team with the best record in head-to-head competition (based on points including overtime losses) shall be declared higher in the standings. If more than two teams are tied after the first tie-breaker, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other shall be used to determine the standing.
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3. If still tied, the team with the greater differential between goals scored for and against by clubs having equal standing after the second tie-breaker shall be declared higher in the standings.
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The top eight teams in each conference make the playoffs with the division leaders are ranked one-two in each Conference. In the first round of the playoffs, first place plays eighth, second plays seventh, third plays sixth and so on in each conference. Teams are re-seeded within their division after each round with the champions from each round playing in the OHL Championship Series.
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The OHL Playoffs are scheduled to begin on Thursday March 18 and complete first round OHL playoff schedules will be announced by Tuesday March 16.
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