#USPHL Playoffs – The Watch List: January 21, 2023

We’ll be posting regular updates on what games each game day will have playoff clinching implications in the NCDC, USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite.

A few notes before today’s update:

No teams in the NCDC have clinched a playoff berth as of yet. But we’ll show NCDC games where a team can improve its standings position (in points) as they come up and obviously mention clinching scenarios as they approach.

Premier teams that have clinched playoff berths include:

• New York Aviators
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
• Rockets Hockey Club
• Connecticut Jr. Rangers
• Utica Jr. Comets
• Hudson Havoc
• Minnesota Squatch
• Minnesota Moose
• Isanti Outlaws
• Northern Cyclones
• Islanders Hockey Club
• Boston Junior Bruins
• Vernal Oilers
• Seattle Totems
• Fresno Monsters
• ALL teams in the Mountain Division, Great Lakes Division & Midwest East Division.

Elite teams that have clinched playoff berths include:

• Florida Eels
• Northern Cyclones
• Islanders Hockey Club
• Bridgewater Bandits
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
• Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
• Charlotte Rush
• Potomac Patriots

Jan. 21, 2023 Update:

Click conference names for playoff formats.

NCDC

Islanders Hockey Club vs. Boston Junior Bruins: A Junior Bruins regulation win ties them for fifth place with idle Twin City. An IHC regulation win would see a swap in positions with the Islanders moving into sixth place and the Junior Bruins dropping to seventh.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights vs. Jersey Hitmen: A Jersey Hitmen win would put them (at least temporarily) back in sole possession of first place pending the results of the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders vs. Rockets Hockey Club game later in the evening. A win by the WBS Knights would put them one point out of sixth place.

Mercer Chiefs vs. Connecticut Jr. Rangers: A Mercer win could potentially see a three-way tie for first place, pending the results of the Jersey Hitmen’s and P.A.L. Jr. Islanders’ games. A Connecticut regulation win would pull them to within two points of third place Mercer.

Rockets Hockey Club vs. P.A.L. Jr. Islanders: A Jr. Islanders win would potentially put them into sole possession of first place pending the earlier results of the Jersey Hitmen’s game and the Mercer Chiefs’ game. A Rockets win would pull them to within two points of fourth place Connecticut (pending the results of their game vs. Mercer).

New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs vs. Boston Advantage:

New Hampshire is three points ahead of their closest competition, including the Boston Advantage, so they cannot lose their hold on first place today. An Advantage regulation win would pull them to within one point of the Monarchs.

USPHL Premier Conference

– The Fresno Monsters clinched the first Pacific Division playoff berth with their Friday win over Long Beach, which also eliminated Long Beach from playoff contention.

– The Springfield Pics can clinch today if they earn at least a point against Bridgewater or if the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs give up any points to the Northern Cyclones in their game.

– The Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings and Steele County Blades can both clinch with a Minnesota Mullets regulation loss to the Minnesota Moose and

• a Steele County win over the Blue Ox for the Blades to clinch

• at least one point for the Riverkings against the Minnesota Squatch.

In the Northwest Division, if Rock Springs beats Ogden and Bellingham loses to Seattle in regulation, the Rock Springs Prospectors will clinch a playoff berth.

USPHL Elite Conference

There are no playoff-clinching scenarios in the USPHL Elite Conference today.