2012/13 VIJHL Regular Season and Playoff Format

VIJHL clubs will play a 48-game Regular Season Schedule for the 2012/13 season commencing on September 3^rd, 2012 when the Westshore Wolves will play their inaugural game at the Bear Mountain Arena.  The Regular Season will see the final game played on Saturday evening, February 16^th, 2013. 
All teams will make the playoffs however the last placed team in the South Division and the last placed team in the North Division will play a Sudden Death afternoon game at the Bear Mountain Arena on Sunday, February 17^th to see who will earn the right advance to Round #1 of the playoffs.  This game will be run by the VIJHL, should prove to be one of the most exciting games of the year and will be billed as “Wild Card Sunday”.  The winner of this game will move on and will be the 4^th place seed in the North Division throughout the balance of the playoffs.  The loser will be forced to the sidelines for the season.  Prior to the puck drop, the VIJHL will have an on-ice ceremony at which time the individual League Awards will be presented as well as the award for winning the League Regular Season Championship.   All reasonable travel expenses incurred by the North Division team will be reimbursed by the VIJHL including travel costs and food.  No monies will be paid to the South Division team.  The VIJHL will pick up all other game costs surrounding the “Wild Card Sunday” game including cost of ice and officials.  The South Division team will be deemed as the home team for this sudden death game.
 
Scheduling for the Regular Season will be as follows;
South teams will play the other four teams in the South Division a total of 8 games, 4 home and 4 away.   South teams will play each of the four North Division teams a total of 4 games, 2 home and 2 away. 
North teams will play each of the five South Division teams a total of 4 games, 2 home and 2 away.  Comox and Oceanside will play Campbell River and Nanaimo 5 home and 5 away.  Comox will play Oceanside 4 home and 4 away.  Nanaimo will play Campbell River 4 home and 4 away.
The “Wild Card Sunday” game will be played @ Bear Mountain on Sunday, February 17^th @ 1:00 pm.
 
Scheduling for the 2012/13 Playoffs will be three rounds, all Best-of Seven series, details as follows;
Both the North Division and the South Division will play round 1 and round 2 of the playoffs within their respective Divisions.  Round 1 will see 1^st vs. 4^th and 2^nd vs. 3^rd.  The higher placed team will have home ice advantage and will open the playoffs at home.  Teams are encouraged to use an alternating format, that is alternating the home site every game.  Round two will see the two winners of Round one in the North meet, and the two winners in the South will meet.  The higher placed team will have home ice advantage for the 2^nd round.  Once again, teams are encouraged to alternate home sites each game.
The winner of the North will meet the winner of the South for the VIJHL Championship series.  The winning team on “Wild Card Sunday” will not only continue on into round #1 of the playoffs but they will also earn their Division the right to have home ice advantage for the VIJHL Championship series.  To be clear, if the North Team wins “Wild Card Sunday”, the North Division Playoff Champion determined after the 2^nd round of the playoffs will open up the Championship round at home and will have home ice advantage.  If the South Division team were to win “Wild Card Sunday” they would then open the playoffs as the 4^th seed in the North and would remain there for the duration of the playoffs.  The South Division winner after round #2 would have home ice advantage for the final round. Teams will alternate sites each game as per round #1 & 2.
 
Each round must be completed within the time which is allotted and these dates are as follows;
Round 1:     February 18^th – March 3^rd inclusive
Round 2:     March 4^th – March 17^th inclusive
Round 3:     March 18^th – March 31^st inclusive