ARCHL Playoffs

Quick Links

Schedule & Standings

Note: On the Schedule page, select ARCHL PLAYOFFS SPRING/SUMMER 2026 from the dropdown at the top.

🏒 Schedule & Results:

View Playoff Schedule

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Current Standings

Current standings are updated after scores are entered.

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Playoff Points System

Result Points
Regulation Win 6
Shootout Win 4
Shootout Loss 2
Regulation Loss 0
Period Points
Win Period 2
Tie Period 1
Lose Period 0
Penalty Minutes
0–4 PIM 4
5–8 PIM 2
9+ PIM 0
Bonus
Shutout Bonus 2

Maximum points per game: 18

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Playoff Format

Divisions with 4 teams will play a round robin. The top two teams based on playoff points will advance to a single championship game.

Divisions with 3 teams will play a round robin. The top team will receive a bye to the final, while the 2nd and 3rd place teams will play a knockout game. The winner of that knockout game will advance to the final.

Exception – Divisions B & C
Coolbet Bears agreed to play up into Division B even though they had competitive games in their original division. Because of this, a special playoff format applies:

  • If Coolbet Bears finish 1st in Division B, they advance directly to the Division B Final (Game 224).
  • If Coolbet Bears finish 2nd in Division B, they play the 3rd place team in a knockout game (Game 214). The winner advances to the Division B Final (Game 224).
  • If Coolbet Bears finish 3rd in Division B, the 1st and 2nd place teams in Division B play the Division B Final (Game 214). Coolbet Bears then drop into Division C, where they play the 2nd place Division C team (Game 224). The winner advances to face the 1st place Division C team in the Division C Final (Game 227).

No playoff structure is perfect. Teams that qualified high points-per-game players late in the season were moved into more competitive divisions, while teams that demonstrated they were not competitive in a division were moved down. We also wanted to keep divisions at either 3 or 4 teams so each division could have a meaningful playoff format.

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Playoff Qualification

Multiple emails have been sent outlining playoff eligibility requirements. To qualify, you must have played at least 4 games with the team you are playing for in the playoffs.

To check your eligibility, visit:

Team Statistics

Select your team, then make sure you choose Team Full Season/Series Stats from the dropdown. If you have fewer than 4 games and are not on the approved exception list , you will not be eligible to play.

Please bring government-issued photo ID to every playoff game. Player eligibility may be verified before games.

Goalies: Goalies are exempt from the 4-game qualification requirement if your team has no other reasonable option. If you need to use a goalie with fewer than 4 games, please contact us before your game for approval. A qualified goalie may also play as a skater, provided your team uses another qualified goalie.

If you need a substitute player or goalie, please contact us with as much notice as possible and we will do our best to help. If you have already arranged your own substitute, please let us know before game day. Do not show up expecting an unapproved substitute to be allowed to play.

Playoff Exemptions

Cutting Edges: Please let us know which players will be playing on each team. Some player exemptions will be approved; however, in general, the first Cutting Edges team a player appears for in the playoffs will be the team they must remain with for the rest of the playoffs. This is to ensure fairness for the other teams in the division.

NEWB B: As a development division, we may approve players from other NEWB B teams as substitutes when needed. Any substitute must be approved in advance and cannot be a mentor or a player whose skill level would significantly affect the outcome of the game.

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Tiebreaker Rules

Game Tiebreakers

Any playoff game that is tied at the end of regulation will proceed directly to a shootout to determine the winner.

If time constraints prevent a shootout from taking place, the winner will be determined in the following order:

  1. Fewest penalty minutes in the game.
  2. Fewest total playoff penalty minutes.
  3. League Official’s decision.

Round Robin Standings

If two or more teams are tied on playoff points after the round robin, the standings will be determined in the following order:

  1. Fewest total playoff penalty minutes.
  2. Head-to-head result.
  3. Most wins.
  4. League Official’s decision.

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PIM’s & Suspensions

Penalty minutes do not reset for the playoffs. Your regular season PIM’s carry over, and any playoff PIM’s are added to your total.

Suspensions are based on your combined regular season and playoff PIM’s:

  • 20 PIM’s = 1 game suspension
  • 30 PIM’s = 2 game suspension
  • 40 PIM’s = 4 game suspension

Check your regular season PIM’s here:

Regular Season Player Stats

Important: Make sure you select the regular season from the dropdown before checking your stats.

Every suspension will be reviewed. A 10-minute misconduct assessed with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game, or after the game, will very likely end your playoff season.

When a penalty is called, please go directly to the penalty box. If you believe a penalty did not meet the criteria of the rule book, let me know after the game. I will review the situation and determine whether additional referee training or clarification is required.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I qualify for the playoffs?

You must have played at least 4 games with the team you are playing for, unless you have been granted an approved exception. Check your games played using the Team Statistics link above and make sure you select Team Full Season/Series Stats.

Can I play for another team?

Yes, provided the teams are in different divisions and you meet the qualification requirements or have an approved exception. You may not play for more than one team within the same division.

What if my goalie can’t make the game?

Let us know as early as possible. We will do our best to help find a replacement. Goalies are exempt from the 4-game qualification rule when there is no reasonable alternative, but approval must be obtained before the game.

What should I do if I think a referee made the wrong call?

Accept the penalty and go directly to the penalty box. After the game, if you believe the call did not meet the criteria of the rule book, let me know. I will review the situation and determine whether additional referee training or clarification is required.

How are the standings determined?

Standings are based on the Playoff Points System, not simply wins and losses. Every period, discipline, and game result contribute to your total points.

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