Vipers head to Victoria for first round-robin playoff game

VICTORIA – The Vernon Vipers will hit the road this Friday, March 28, for the first game in round three against the Victoria Grizzlies in the round-robin playoffs.

The Vipers made their way into the playoffs, defeating the Penticton Vees last week in the best of seven series, four games to three. In this next round of games, the two other teams competing are the Grizzlies and the Coquitlam Express.

The puck hits the ice at the Q Centre in Victoria at 7:15 p.m.

The BCHL is laying out the format of the games and providing a print-out page which can be filled in with scores and standings to assist fans who want to follow the results.

The schedule of the round-robin is below.

Friday, March 28: Vernon at Victoria, 7:15 p.m.
Sunday, March 30: Coquitlam at Vernon, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, April 1: Victoria at Coquitlam, 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 3: Coquitlam at Victoria, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, April 5: Victoria at Vernon, 7 p.m.
Monday, April 7: Vernon at Coquitlam, 7 p.m. **

** If necessary

If teams are even after the round-robin, the following tie-breaker criteria will be used to separate them:

• The Team having the most WINS.
• The Team having the most POINTS IN GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER.
• The Team having the best GOALS FOR AND AGAINST IN GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER. (By taking the goals for and subtracting the goals against in games between the teams)
• The Team having the best OVERALL GOALS FOR AND AGAINST. (By taking the goals for and subtracting the goals against in round-robin play)

The above criteria will be used to determine the winner, who will go directly to the Finals.

If the remaining two teams are tied for second, a game will be played Wednesday, April 9 at the home rink of the higher-seeded team with the winner advancing to the finals.

Home-ice advantage in the finals goes to the highest-seed.