Hockey: March Madness in the UHL

Entering the last week of the 2001-2002 United Hockey League season, the playoff race has not yet concluded. Three teams in the Eastern Conference are fighting for the last spot, with one behind and trying to keep up. Meanwhile, three teams in the Western Conference are tightly contesting just to make the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference, the Elmira Jackals have already clinched the number one seed in the Colonial Cup playoffs, with the team's nearest competitor seventeen points behind them. The BC Icemen and New Haven Knights are tied for second with 78 points entering the final week of the season. Right behind them are the Adirondack IceHawks, who are two points back with three games remaining.

The Knights and IceHawks will face off in a home-and-home series on Thursday and Friday night while the Icemen travel to Glens Falls to face the IceHawks on Saturday. The Icemen have a game in hand on both teams and will face Elmira on Wednesday and will likely wrap up the second seed if they beat the Jackals. But don't count out the Asheville Smoke; they have seventy points with three games remaining. They enter the weekend facing last place Knoxville on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, almost a gift considering the Smoke has defeated the Speed in twelve of their sixteen meetings this season. Adirondack's and New Haven's playoff hopes will be in serious jeopardy if the Smoke can win all three games and either New Haven or Adirondack lose at some point during the week. That is a very scary reality for both New Haven and Adirondack fans. Meanwhile, in the Wild West, the Quad City Mallards have clinched the division with 105 points, while the Muskegon Fury have locked up the second seed in the Colonial Cup playoffs with 96. However, three teams are battling for the final playoff spot: the Missouri River Otters, Fort Wayne Komets, and Flint Generals. All are within three points of each other entering the final week of the season.

The Komets' win on Tuesday at home against Elmira put them up two points (87) on the River Otters, who have a game in hand on the Komets and the Generals. The Generals are three points behind Fort Wayne and one behind Missouri.

Fort Wayne will face Flint on Wednesday and Friday night in a home-and-home series. If Missouri beats Knoxville on Wednesday and Flint loses either game against Fort Wayne, the Generals are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Meanwhile, the River Otters have four games remaining; they'll play Knoxville on Wednesday and will finish up their regular season this weekend with games against Kalamazoo, Rockford, and Quad City. Fort Wayne will have the home-and-home with Flint and finish the season in Quad City on Saturday night.

There's nothing like March Madness in professional hockey.