OTTAWA (CIS) The University of Moncton Aigles Bleus remain atop the CIS mens hockey national media poll for a school-record tenth consecutive week after rounding out the regular season with a bang in the Atlantic conference.
This marks the final Top 10 if the 2006-07 CIS mens hockey campaign as all teams across the country have wrapped up conference play.
The No. 1 Aigles Bleus (22-4-0-2) finished the regular schedule with CIS highs in points (46) and goals scored (142) thanks to an 8-2 win over UPEI and an 8-1 victory against St. Thomas.
The hosts of the 2007 Cavendish University Cup will now enjoy a bye in the opening round of the AUS playoffs, along with the No. 4 UNB Varsity Reds (18-7-0-3), who finished second in the conference standings. The best-of-three AUS quarter-finals will see Acadia (11-14-0-3) battle No. 8 StFX (16-9-0-3) and St. Thomas (14-14-0-0) face off against Saint Marys (15-10-0-3).
Out west, the No. 2 Alberta Golden Bears (20-4-0-4) also finished conference play on a winning note sweeping a doubleheader against UBC, 3-2 and 2-0.
The two-time defending CIS champion Bears, who took first place in the Canada West Mountain Division, and the No. 5 Saskatchewan Huskies (16-9-0-3), first in the Great Plains Division, will enjoy byes in the first round of the conference playoffs. The best-of-three Canada West divisional semi-finals will see Calgary (11-13-0-4) square off against Regina (13-12-0-3) and UBC (14-13-0-1) battle Lethbridge (14-9-0-5).
The CIS playoffs kicked off last week in the OUA with the No. 9 McGill Redmen (15-7-5-1 / 2-1 playoffs) surviving a scare before eliminating Concordia in three games thanks to a lopsided 8-0 victory in the decisive game. Western Ontario, which enters the national poll at No. 10 this week, Lakehead and Ottawa were also winners in the first round of the Ontario playoffs.
The match-ups for this weeks best-of-three OUA West and OUA East semi-finals are as follows: No. 3 Wilfrid Laurier (22-5-1-0) vs. Lakehead (13-10-3-2 / 2-0 playoffs), No. 6 Waterloo (21-4-2-1) vs. No. 10 Western Ontario (17-6-3-2 / 2-1 playoffs), No. 7 UQTR (17-5-3-3) vs. Ottawa (11-12-3-2 / 2-0 playoffs), and No. 9 McGill vs. Toronto (18-9-1-0).
CIS mens hockey playoff schedule Feb. 21-25 (all times LOCAL)
Note: 2007 University Cup hosted by Moncton, March 22-25. Berths go to AUS (3, Moncton already qualified s host), OUA (2), Canada West (1).
Wednesday, Feb. 21
19:00 Acadia at No. 8 StFX, AUS quarter-final (best-of-3)
19:00 St. Thomas at Saint Marys, AUS quarter-final (best-of-3)
19:00 Ottawa at No. 7 UQTR, OUA East semi-final (best-of-3)
19:00 Toronto at No. 9 McGill, OUA East semi-final (best-of-3)
19:30 No. 3 Laurier at Lakehead, OUA West semi-final (best-of-3)
19:30 No. 10 Western at No. 6 Waterloo, OUA West semi-final (best-of-3)
Friday, Feb. 23
19:00 No. 7 UQTR at Ottawa, OUA East semi-final (best-of-3)
19:00 Calgary at Regina, CW divisional semi-final (best-of-3)
19:00 UBC at Lethbridge, CW divisional semi-final (best-of-3)
19:30 No. 8 StFX at Acadia, AUS quarter-final (best-of-3)
20:00 Saint Marys at St. Thomas, AUS quarter-final (best-of-3)
Saturday, Feb. 24
19:00 Calgary at Regina, CW divisional semi-final (best-of-3)
19:00 UBC at Lethbridge, CW divisional semi-final (best-of-3)
19:30 No. 9 McGill at Toronto, OUA East semi-final (best-of-3)
19:30 Lakehead at No. 3 Laurier, OUA West semi-final (best-of-3)
19:30 No. 6 Waterloo at No. 10 Western, OUA West semi-final (best-of-3)
Sunday, Feb. 25
14:00 Lakehead at No. 3 Laurier, OUA West semi-final (best-of-3 / if necessary)
14:00 Calgary at Regina, CW divisional semi-final (best-of-3 / if necessary)
14:00 UBC at Lethbridge, CW divisional semi-final (best-of-3 / if necessary)
19:00 Acadia at No. 8 StFX,<