Sports

UAA playoff scenarios (or, how my head just exploded)

Though they've been sitting last in the 10-team WCHA for ample time now, the UAA Seawolves can still gain a playoff spot with a sweep of their final regular-season series when they entertain UAF in the final two games of the Governor's Cup at Sullivan Arena on Friday and Saturday.

The Seawolves must sweep the Nanooks, and have other results fall their way. Yeah, it's complicated. Thankfully -- because math is hard for this typist -- the WCHA on Tuesday sent out all the various playoff scenarios for teams. Gee, it's not convoluted at all. Just let me wipe the brain matter from my keyboard -- seems my head just exploded -- and we'll get right to it.

Alabama-Huntsville and Lake Superior State currently sit tied for eighth place with 15 points each, and UAA sits 10th with 12 points.

Here's now UAA can get into the playoffs, or not (reminder: 8 of 9 eligible teams qualify; UAF is prohibited from postseason play):

* -- Seeded #7 with two wins, two losses for Alabama Huntsville, and two losses for Lake Superior State.

* -- Seeded #8 with two wins, two losses for Alabama Huntsville, and one point or more for Lake Superior State.

* -- Seeded #8 with two wins, one point or more for Alabama Huntsville, and two losses for Lake Superior State.

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* -- Eliminated with two wins, one point or more for Alabama Huntsville, and one point or more for Lake Superior State.

* -- Eliminated with with three points or less.

And here are the two-team tie-breakers that could come into play for UAA:

* -- Alabama Huntsville over UAA at 16 points (tied on wins, 2-0-0 head-to-head)

* -- Alabama Huntsville over UAA at 15 points (more WCHA wins)

* -- Lake Superior State over UAA at 16 points (tied on wins, 1-1-0 head-to-head, Lake Superior 2-0-0 vs #4/#5 Bemidji State, UAA 0-2-2 vs #4/#5 Bemidji State)

* -- Lake Superior State over UAA at 15 points (more WCHA wins)

And here are the three-team tie-breakers that could come into play for UAA:

* -- Alabama Huntsville over Lake Superior State over UAA at 16 points (tied on wins, Alabama Huntsville 4-1-1 head-to-head, Lake Superior State 2-3-1, UAA 1-3-0, then Lake Superior State over UAA per above two-way tiebreaker)

* -- Alabama Huntsville over Lake Superior State over UAA at 15 points (more WCHA wins for Alabama Huntsville and Lake Superior State, then Alabama Huntsville 2-1-1 head-to-head vs Lake Superior State)

Doyle Woody

Doyle Woody covered hockey and other sports for the Anchorage Daily News for 34 years.

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