The Midwest Division playoff field is set. The opening round will see the No. 2 Fairbanks Ice Dogs face the No. 3 Anchorage Wolverines, while the No. 1 Wisconsin Windigo take on the No. 4 Chippewa Steel – with each team aiming for a spot in the divisional finals.
Both series are best-of-five, with the higher seed holding home-ice advantage. Should the series go the distance, the format has the higher seed hosting the first two games, going on the road for the next two, then returning for game five.
For the Ice Dogs, the opening two games are set for Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against the Wolverines.
The series will then shift to Anchorage the following weekend for a third game on Friday, April 25, with a fourth, if necessary, scheduled for the following day. Should the series reach a decisive fifth contest, it would be held Monday, April 28 at 7 p.m. in Fairbanks.
The two winners from the opening round will meet in the Midwest Division Finals, with a spot in the Robertson Cup Championship semifinals on the line, where each of the four divisional champions will meet.
Through 59 regular season games, the Windigo secured the top seed with 86 points. The Ice Dogs followed with 80, winning their final three games to stay ahead of the Wolverines, who finished close behind with 78. Rounding out the playoff field is Chippewa with 66 points.
Contact Caleb Jones at (907) 459-7530 or at cjones@newsminer.com.
