Schedule announced for 2020 Fraser Cup Playoffs
The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) has announced the schedule for the Divisional Semi-Finals of the 2020 NA3HL Fraser Cup Playoffs, which take place this weekend with the best of three series in all six divisions. The Fraser Cup crowns the National playoff champion from the NA3HL.
The Club seeded first in each division will compete in a best-of-three series with the fourth seeded Club in the same division. The Club seeded second in each division will compete in a best-of-three-series against the Club seeded third in the same division. The #1 and #2 seeds will have home ice advantage in the first round. The first club to win two games in a division semifinal series will be declared the winner of the series and advance to the Division Finals.
Central Division
#1 Rochester Grizzlies vs. #4 Peoria Mustangs (all times local)
Game 1: Thursday, March 12 @ Peoria, 6:45pm
Game 2: Saturday, March 14 @ Rochester, 7:00pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ Rochester, 5:30pm*
#2 St. Louis Jr. Blues vs. #3 Coulee Region Chill (all times local)
Game 1: Friday, March 13 @ St. Louis, 7:00pm
Game 2: Saturday, March 14 @ Coulee Region, 7:30pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ St. Louis, 1:30pm*
Coastal Division
#1 Northeast Generals vs. #4 New England Knights (all times local)
Game 1: Thursday, March 12 @ NE Knights, 2:00pm
Game 2: Friday, March 13 @ Northeast, 7:30pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ Northeast, 5:30pm*
#2 New England Stars vs. #3 L/A Nordiques (all times local)
Game 1: Friday, March 13 @ NE Stars, 8:15pm
Game 2: Saturday, March 14 @ L/A, 3:30pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ NE Stars, 2:00pm*
Frontier Division
#1 Bozeman Icedogs vs. #4 Yellowstone Quake (all times local)
Game 1: Friday, March 13 @ Yellowstone, 7:30pm
Game 2: Saturday, March 14 @ Bozeman, 7:00pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ Bozeman, 3:00pm*
#2 Sheridan Hawks vs. #3 Great Falls Americans (all times local)
Game 1: Wednesday, March 11 @ Great Falls, 7:00pm
Game 2: Friday, March 13 @ Sheridan, 7:30pm
Game 3: Saturday, March 14 @ Sheridan, 7:00pm*
Northeast Division
#1 Skylands Kings vs. #4 Long Beach Sharks (all times local)
Game 1: Friday, March 13 @ Skylands, 8:40pm
Game 2: Saturday, March 14 @ Long Beach, 4:15pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ Skylands, 7:30pm*
#2 Danbury Colonials vs. #3 Elmira Jr. Soaring Eagles (all times local)
Game 1: Thursday, March 12 @ Elmira, 7:30pm
Game 2: Saturday, March 14 @ Danbury, 3:30pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ Danbury, 3:30pm*
South Division
#1 Texas Brahmas vs. #4 Mid Cities Jr. Stars (all times local)
Game 1: Friday, March 13 @ Texas, 2:15pm
Game 2: Sunday, March 15 @ Mid Cities, 1:15pm
Game 3: Monday, March 16 @ Texas, 2:15pm*
#2 Atlanta Capitals vs. #3 Louisiana Drillers (all times local)
Game 1: Friday, March 13 @ Atlanta, 6:00pm
Game 2: Saturday, March 14 @ Louisiana, 4:00pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ Atlanta, 2:20pm*
West Division
#1 North Iowa Bulls vs. #4 Alexandria Blizzard (all times local)
Game 1: Friday, March 13 @ North Iowa, 7:30pm
Game 2: Saturday, March 14 @ Alexandria, 7:10pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ North Iowa, 7:30pm*
#2 Granite City Lumberjacks vs. #3 New Ulm Steel (all times local)
Game 1: Friday, March 13 @ Granite City, 7:30pm
Game 2: Saturday, March 14 @ New Ulm, 7:45pm
Game 3: Sunday, March 15 @ Granite City, 5:00pm*
*if necessary
Fraser Cup Championship Tournament
The six divisional playoff champions will advance to the NA3HL Fraser Cup Championship Tournament, where they will play a two- game round-robin format followed by a semi-final and a championship game at The Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Illinois, from March 25-29. The six divisional playoff winners will be seeded 1-6 based on their regular season point totals. A round-robin format with two pools will be implemented, with the top two teams in each pool advancing to the Semi-Finals, where they will then cross over to play the other top two teams from the other pool. The winners of the Semi-Finals will advance to the Fraser Cup Championship Game.
Pool A: #1, #4, #6
Pool B: #2, #3, #5
Wednesday, March 25: 1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3
Thursday, March 26: 1 vs. 6, 2 vs. 5
Friday, March 27: 4 vs. 6, 3 vs. 5
Saturday, March 28: Pool A 1st place vs. Pool B 2nd place, Pool B 1st place vs. Pool A 2nd place
Sunday, March 29: Championship Game
The Fraser Cup is named in the memory of Robert ‘Fraser’ Ritchie, a long-time staff member of the NAHL, NA3HL and NAPHL. On June 10, 2017, Ritchie passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Although Ritchie ultimately lost his battle with the disease, his influence and daily interactions with all of the owners, coaches, staff, volunteers and administrators in the NAHL, NA3HL and NAPHL, will never be forgotten, and are now and forever memorialized with the annual awarding of the Fraser Cup.
The Fraser Cup will be held in cooperation with the first of six 2020 NAHL Combine events. Entering its seventh year in 2020, the NAHL Combines introduce and provide players with a weekend that involves the 'NAHL Experience,' which will consist of competitive hockey, education of the future levels of hockey, academic preparation for NCAA hockey and exposure to professional, college and junior scouts.
