2015 PIHL Penguins Cup Playoff Format Released

By: Bruce Markey
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 | 8:41 PM

The new regime of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League has released the playoff format for the 2015 Penguins Cup Playoffs with a new look…brackets. In the past, the PIHL has re-seeded after each playoff round, however this March, they will go with a bracket playoff format that give lower seed teams a better chance to advance. MSA Sports will audio and video stream each and every postseason game in the 2015 PIHL Penguins Cup Playoffs.

PIHL CLASS AAA Playoff Format:

Top eight teams in overall standings qualify using this format in the Quarterfinals:

#8 AT #1

#5 AT #4

#7 AT #2

#6 AT #3

PIHL CLASS AA Playoff Format:

Top five teams in each of the two conferences qualify…ten postseason teams total. Here is the break down:

First Round: #5 in West vs. #4 in East at neutral site

First Round: #5 in East vs. #4 in West at neutral site

Quarterfinals: #5 West/#4 East winner AT #1 West

Quarterfinals: #3 West AT #2 East

Quarterfinals: #5 East/#4 West winner AT #1 East

Quarterfinals: #3 East AT #2 West

PIHL CLASS A Playoff Format:

Top 4 teams in each Tier 1 conference qualify while top 2 teams in each Tier 2 conference qualify…twelve postseason teams total.

First Round: Tier 2 East #1 vs Tier 1 East #4 at neutral site

First Round: Tier 2 West #2 vs Tier 1 West #3 at neutral site

First Round: Tier 2 West #1 vs Tier 1 West #4 at neutral site

First Round: Tier 2 East #2 vs Tier 1 East #3 at neutral site

Quarterfinals: Tier 2 East #1/Tier 1 East #4 winner AT Tier 1 West #1

Quarterfinals: Tier 2 West #2/Tier 1 West #3 winner AT Tier 1 East #2

Quarterfinals: Tier 2 West #1/Tier 1 West #4 winner AT Tier 1 East #1

Quarterfinals: Tier 2 East #2/Tier 1 East #3 winner AT Tier 1 West #2

PIHL CLASS B & C Playoff Format:

Top 7 teams from Class B and top 3 Class C teams including two conference winners and wild card best on second place team with best winning percentage.

First Round: Class C South winner vs Class C North winner at neutral site

First Round: Class C wild card vs Class B #7 at neutral site

Quarterfinals: Class C South/North winner AT Class B #1

Quarterfinals: Class B #5 AT Class B #4

Quarterfinals: Class C wild card/Class B #7 winner AT Class B #2

Quarterfinals: Class B #6 AT Class B #3