Playoff Picture Getting Clearer

As the final weeks of the regular season count down, we see some of the Quarter Final matchups unfold. Recapping this past week's games, starting on Tuesday, had the T.J. Devils trying to catch the Dartmouth Alpines for 3rd place. The Devils on 3 goals, including the overtime winner by Derek Joseph, nipped past Your Fathers Moustache 5 to 4. The win moved T.J.'s to within 1 point of the Alpines. Your Fathers Moustache's Ken McDermit popped a hattrick and Graham Sponagle had a goal and 3 assists in the losing effort. In the late game the Sandtrap Chiefs, hoping to hang on to 1st place, came back from a 5 to 1 deficit to down Scotiabank 6 to 5 in overtime. The Chiefs rallied with goals at 0:41 and 0:29 seconds remaining in the 2nd period to force overtime. Just 29 seconds into the extra frame, Roddy MacCormick scored his 3rd of the game to secure the victory. Chiefs' Gord Dickie had 4 assists, while Todd Miles scored 2 goals and a helper for Scotiabank.

Thursday night's games had a little bit of everything, starting with T.J. Devils taking on the Secunda Mariners. The Mariners trailling 6 to 2 after the 1st period, outscored the Devils 7 to 1 in the 2nd period for a come from behind 9 to 7 victory. The win moves the Mariners to within 1 point of the Chiefs for 1st overall. Mariners' Steve Widmeyer scored 3 goals and Ian Marshall chipped in with a goal and 3 assists, Dave Roode of the Devils had 2 goals and 2 assist in the loss. The game was tainted with a fight between the Devils' Brad MacDonald and Mariners' John Robb. Both players automatically received a 5 game suspension. In the second game of the night, the Dartmouth Alpines secured 3rd place overall, nipping the Sandtrap Chiefs 6 to 5. Peter Gallant had 2 goals,  2 assists and Glen MacDonald scored a goal and 3 helpers for the Alpines. Chiefs' Roddy MacCormick replied with 2 goals and 3 assists. Jason White of Sandtrap stopped Alpines' Glen MacDonald on a penatly shot at 5:43 of the 2nd period. In the nightcap, Your Fathers Moustache trying to catch the Fairview Aces for 7th place, upset the Big Leagues' Rangers 4 to 1. Ken McDermit and Graham Sponagle led the Moustache with a goal and an assist each. The win moves Your Fathers Moustache 1 point behind idle Fairview Aces for 7th place.

The playoff picture is a little bit clearer after this week's games. We now know that 6th place Scotiabank will take on 3rd place Dartmouth Alpines and that the T.J. Devils will tangle with the Big Leagues' Rangers, who finishes 4th and 5th to be determined. Yet to be deceided is 1st and 2nd place, currently the Sandtrap Chiefs hold a 1 point lead over Secunda Mariners. The Mariners have 2 games remaining, one against the Fairview Aces and the other against the Rangers, while the Chiefs have just one game remaining against Your Fathers Moustache. Also to be determined is the 7th and 8th place spots, both the Fairview Aces and Your Fathers Moustache have two games remaining, with the Aces holding a 1 point lead. The Aces will take on the Mariners and Alpines, while the Moustache finishes off the season against the Chiefs and Scotiabank.