Playoffs

Playoff Format

MCHA league playoffs use a hybrid double-elimination format following the principles below:

• All teams are eligible for the playoffs and can win the championship regardless of regular season performance.  Individual players must play in at least 4 regular season games to be eligible for playoffs - eligible players are marked with a check mark on the MCHA website.
• All teams are guaranteed at least 2 playoff games.  Some teams may play more depending on their seeding and progression through the bracket.
• A team can claw back from a loss in their first game of the playoffs.  A loss in any subsequent game is generally an elimination.  MCHA playoffs do not include consolation games - all games are on the path to the championship.
• Playoff games ending in a tie will have a 6-minute sudden death overtime period.  If the game remains tied, the games moves to a best-of-3 shootout followed by a sudden death shootout.

MCHA also offers friendly mixed-roster Fellowship Games on the same day as championship games when ice availability allows.  All registered players are eligible to participate in Fellowship Games at no cost - sign-up information is distributed via email midway through the playoffs.

Playoff schedules are published at the beginning of the season with placeholders for teams seeding based on regular season performance and are updated each week as playoffs progress.  The 5-team bracket format is shown below.