2008 Founders Cup playoffs

The 2008 Founders Cup Playoffs of the Professional Inline Hockey Association began on May 2, 2008. The twenty-nine teams that qualified, fifteen from the Eastern Conference and fourteen from the Western Conference, will play best-of-3 series for the division semifinals and finals. The eight division winners will play best-of-5 series for the conference semifinals and finals. The conference champions will then play a best-of-7 series for the Founders Cup.

Playoff seeds

After the 2008 PIHA regular season, 28 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Midwest Tornados were the Western Conference regular season champions and were also the Best Overall Record Trophy winners with 60 points. The Connecticut Blaze earned the Eastern Conference regular season crown with 58 points.

Eastern Conference

Northeast Division

  1. Connecticut Blaze - Northeast Division and Eastern Conference regular season champion; 58 points
  2. Long Island 495ers - 41 points
  3. Boston Swamp Rats - 36 points
  4. Massachusetts Bombers - 31 points

Atlantic Division

  1. Philadelphia Growl - Atlantic Division champion, 56 points
  2. New Jersey Grizzlies - 52 points
  3. Aston Demolition - 35 points
  4. Feasterville Fury - 33 points

Mason Dixon Division

  1. Harrisburg Lunatics - Mason Dixon Division champion, 54 points
  2. Pittsburgh Bandits - 46 points
  3. Scottdale Inferno - 41 points
  4. Potomac Mavericks - 39 points

Southeast Division *

  1. South Carolina Pirates - Southeast Division champion, 52 points
  2. Richmond Robins - 33 points
  3. York Typhoon - 21 points

Western Conference

Gateway Division
  1. Midwest Tornados - Gateway Division and Western Conference regular season champion; Best Overall Record Trophy winner, 60 points
  2. Chicago Untouchables - 41 points
  3. Southside Snipers - 38 points
  4. St. Louis Cobras - 31 points
Rocky Mountain Division
  1. Colorado Springs Thunder - Rocky Mountain Division champion, 59 points
  2. Westminster Blizzard - 35 points
  3. Lakewood Fire - 31 points
  4. Fort Collins Catz - 30
Southwest Division *
  1. Phoenix Dragons - Southwest Division champion, 52 points
  2. Tucson Desparados - 21 points
Pacific Division
  1. San Jose Pirates - Pacific Division champion, 54 points
  2. Northern California Mustangs - 40 points
  3. East Bay Jawz - 26 points

* The Southeast Division was to have four teams qualify for the playoffs, but the Raleigh Assault were removed before playoffs began.
* The Southwest Division was to have three teams qualify for the playoffs, but the Arizona Strike were removed before playoffs began.

Bracket

  Division Semifinals Division Finals Conference Semifinals Conference Finals Founders Cup Finals
                                               
1  Connecticut Blaze 2  
4  Massachusetts Bombers 0  
  1  Connecticut Blaze 2  
Northeast Division
    2  Long Island 495ers 1  
2  Long Island 495ers 2
3  Boston Swamp Rats 1  
  NE1  Connecticut Blaze 2  
  SE1  South Carolina Pirates 0  
1  Philadelphia Growl 2  
4  Feasterville Fury 0  
  1  Philadelphia Growl 2
Atlantic Division
    2  New Jersey Grizzlies 0  
2  New Jersey Grizzlies 2
3  Aston Demolition 0  
  NE1  Connecticut Blaze 3  
Eastern Conference
  A1  Philadelphia Growl 2  
1  Harrisburg Lunatics 2  
4  Potomac Mavericks 0  
  1  Harrisburg Lunatics 2
Mason Dixon Division
    2  Pittsburgh Bandits 1  
2  Pittsburgh Bandits 2
3  Scottdale Inferno 1  
  A1  Philadelphia Growl 2
  MD1  Harrisburg Lunatics 0  
   
   
  1  South Carolina Pirates 2
Southeast Division
    2  Richmond Robins 0  
2  Richmond Robins 2
3  York Typhoon 1  
  NE1  Connecticut Blaze 2
  SW1  Phoenix Dragons 4
1  Midwest Tornados 2  
4  St. Louis Cobras 0  
  1  Midwest Tornados 1  
Gateway Division
    3  Southside Snipers 2  
2  Chicago Untouchables 0
3  Southside Snipers 2  
  RM1  Colorado Springs Thunder 1  
  G3  Southside Snipers 2  
1  Colorado Springs Thunder 2  
4  Fort Collins Catz 0  
  1  Colorado Springs Thunder 2
Rocky Mountain Division
    2  Westminster Blizzard 1  
2  Westminster Blizzard 2
3  Lakewood Fire 0  
  G3  Southside Snipers 1
Western Conference
  SW1  Phoenix Dragons 3  
   
   
  1  Phoenix Dragons 2
Southwest Division
    2  Tucson Desparados 0  
 
   
  SW1  Phoenix Dragons 2
  P1  Northern California Mustangs 1  
   
   
  1  San Jose Pirates 0
Pacific Division
    2  Northern California Mustangs 2  
2  Northern California Mustangs 2
3  East Bay Jawz 0  

Division Playoffs

In each of the eight divisions two rounds of playoffs will take place, the division semifinals, and division finals. In a four team division the top three teams will make the playoffs with the top seed earning a bye. In all other divisions, the top four teams will make the playoffs with the top seed playing the fourth seed and the second seed playing the third seed. All division playoffs will be played at the home of the highest seed in each match up. All division series will be best-of-three game series to begin on May 2–4 with the division semifinals and then the division finals on the weekend of May 9-11, 2008.

Conference Championships

Two separate Conference Championship events will take place the weekend of May 30 - June 1, 2008. The four division champions from each division will compete for the right to head to the PIHA Finals. All teams will be ranked 1-4 based on their regular season record and then match up accordingly. The highest seed plays the lowest seed and likewise the remaining two teams will play in a best-of-three conference semifinal series. The two winners will then play in a best-of-five conference final for the right to play in the PIHA Championship Finals. The Eastern Conference Finals will be held at the Capitol Club House in Waldorf, Maryland, while the Western Conference Finals will be held at the Silver Creek Sportsplex in San Jose, California.

PIHA League Championship

The 2008 Pro Finals, under the banner “Two Teams – One Show” will take place at the Tour Inline Hockey Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado on the weekend of June 12, 13, 14 & 15. The Eastern Conference Champion and the Western Conference Champion will do battle for the Founders Cup, $10,000.00 in prize money, and the right to say they are the 2008 PIHA Champions. Games 1 & 2 will be played on Thursday evening the 12th starting at 8:30 pm, games 3 & 4 on Friday evening the 13th starting at 8:30 pm and games 5, 6 & 7 if needed on Saturday afternoon the 14th starting at 2:30 pm.

Division Semifinals

Note 1: All times are in Eastern Time (UTC-4).
Note 2: Game times in italics signify games to be played only if necessary.

Northeast Division

(1) Connecticut Blaze vs. (4) Massachusetts Bombers

Connecticut wins series 2 - 0

(2) Long Island 495ers vs. (3) Boston Swamp Rats

Long Island wins series 2 - 1

Atlantic Division

(1) Philadelphia Growl vs. (4) Feasterville Fury

Philadelphia wins series 2 - 0

(2) New Jersey Grizzlies vs. (3) Aston Demolition

New Jersey wins series 2 - 0

Mason Dixon Division

(1) Harrisburg Lunatics vs. (4) Potomac Mavericks

Harrisburg wins series 2 - 0

(2) Pittsburgh Bandits vs. (3) Scottdale Inferno

Pittsburgh wins series 2 - 1

Southeast Division

(2) Richmond Robins vs. (3) York Typhoon

Richmond wins series 2 - 1

Gateway Division

(1) Midwest Tornados vs. (4) St. Louis Cobras

Midwest wins series 2 - 0

(2) Chicago Untouchables vs. (3) Southside Snipers

Southside wins series 2 - 0

Rocky Mountain Division

(1) Colorado Springs Thunder vs. (4) Fort Collins Catz

Colorado Springs wins series 2 - 0

(2) Westminster Blizzard vs. (3) Lakewood Fire

Westminster wins series 2 - 0

Pacific Division

(2) Northern California Mustangs vs. (3) East Bay Jawz

Northern California wins series 2 - 0

Division Finals

Northeast Division

(1) Connecticut Blaze vs. (2) Long Island 495ers

Connecticut wins series 2 - 1

Atlantic Division

(1) Philadelphia Growl vs. (2) New Jersey Grizzlies

Philadelphia wins series 2 - 0

Mason Dixon Division

(1) Harrisburg Lunatics vs. (2) Pittsburgh Bandits

Harrisburg wins series 2 - 1

Southeast Division

(1) South Carolina Pirates vs. (2) Richmond Robins

South Carolina wins series 2 - 0

Gateway Division

(1) Midwest Tornados vs. (3) Southside Snipers

Southside wins series 2 - 1

Rocky Mountain Division

(1) Colorado Springs Thunder vs. (2) Westminster Blizzard

Colorado Springs wins series 2 - 1

Southwest Division

(1) Phoenix Dragons vs. (2) Tucson Desparados

Phoenix wins series 2 - 0

Pacific Division

(1) San Jose Pirates vs. (2) Northern California Mustangs

Northern California wins series 2 - 0

See also

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/24/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.