The Widnes Wild NIHL team qualified for the Moralee Division end of season play offs at the weekend without even having to strike a puck.
The Wild need to finish in 8th place or better in the final league table to ensure post season hockey but that scenario was under threat from both Sheffield Scimitars and Nottingham Lions who were both trailing on points but had games in hand. Had both teams secured maximum points from their remaining games, they could both have – mathematically – overtaken the Wild and taken the remaining playoff positions.
However, results at the weekend went in Widnes’ favour with both the Scimitars and Lions losing their games, meaning that the Wild can no longer be overtaken for 7th place.
The match-ups for the play off quarter final ties are decided by final league positions with the team that ends up 1st playing the team that ends up 8th, 2nd v 7th and so on.
This means that Widnes will play whichever team finishes up as runners up in the Moralee Division – who are currently Solihull Barons, although they could still be overtaken for second spot by Blackburn Hawks who have more games yet to play to complete their regular season schedule.
The quarter-finals will be played over two legs – home and away – over the weekend of 30th /31st March, with the winners progressing to an NIHL North finals weekend in Sheffield on 6th and 7th April.
The timings for the quarter-final matches will be announced once the Wild’s opponents are confirmed.
The Wild play their last home game of the regular season this Sunday 17th March when they take on local rivals Deeside Dragons at Planet Ice Widnes, face off 5.30pm.
