The Penultimate weekend of ACHA regular season play is upon us! There are eight CHMA games remaining over the next two weekends, with five of them coming between Wednesday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 15.
Last weekend, Robert Morris clinched a first-round bye in the conference tournament with a 10-1 win over IUP and a 4-2 win over Mercyhurst. John Carroll and Mercyhurst both had an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot if Duquesne had lost to either the Lakers or Slippery Rock, but the Dukes swept the weekend and kept their own playoff hopes alive.
All races are calculated to an out-right points win. Any ties are subject to the conference tiebreaker rules. Tiebreakers are: 1st: Most conference wins, 2nd: Head-to-Head (total points in head-to-head matchups), 3rd: Most conference non-shootout wins, 4th: Head-to-Head goals for/goals against differential, 5th: Goals for/goals against differential in conference games. GR- Games Remaining, PR- Points available in remaining games, MP- Maximum points a team can achieve.
Standings
Robert Morris still leads the conference with 22 points, though Pitt sits two points behind with two games in hand. The Panthers are ranked 15th nationally in the ACHA. The IUP Hawks and Slippery Rock Pride each have 13 points, with IUP holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Pride, with one matchup between the clubs remaining. John Carroll and a surging Duquesne can both clinch this weekend with wins or a Mercyhurst loss to Pitt. Mercyhurst needs that win over Pitt to stay alive and a win next weekend to clinch, but also needs either the Blue Streaks or the Dukes to lose their final game.
Clinching Scenarios
Robert Morris clinched a first-round bye.
Pittsburgh clinched a playoff berth. The Panthers can clinch a first-round bye with a win or a Slippery Rock loss. The Panthers can clinch the No. 1 seed with two wins.
IUP clinched a playoff berth.
Slippery Rock clinched a playoff berth.
John Carroll can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Mercyhurst loss.
Duquesne can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Mercyhurst loss.
Current Matchups
Friday, Feb. 28 (first round)
No. 3 IUP vs. No. 6 Duquesne
No. 4 Slippery Rock vs. No. 5 John Carroll
Saturday, Feb. 29 (semifinals)
No. 1 Robert Morris vs. Lowest Remaining Seed
No. 2 Pittsburgh vs. Highest Remaining Seed
Sunday, Mar. 1 (championship)
Schedule
Wednesday, Feb. 12:
John Carroll @ Pitt, 7:20 p.m. Alpha Ice Complex
Thursday, Feb. 13:
Slippery Rock @ IUP, 7 p.m. S&T Bank Arena
Friday, Feb. 14:
IUP @ Duquesne, 6:30 p.m. Alpha Ice Complex
Slippery Rock @ Pitt, 9:20 p.m. Alpha Ice Complex
Saturday, Feb. 15:
Mercyhurst @ Pitt, 9:20 p.m. Alpha Ice Complex
Friday, Feb. 21:
Slippery Rock @ West Virginia, 9:30 p.m. Morgantown Ice Arena
Saturday, Feb. 22:
Mercyhurst @ West Virginia, 4 p.m. Morgantown Ice Arena
Slippery Rock @ Robert Morris, 9:35 p.m. RMU Island Sports Center
