The OUA has agreed upon a new playoff schedule for the 2004-2005 mens hockey season. The main changes are that there will now be three seeded best-of-three rounds of conference playoffs and the Queens Cup Championship will be a one-game affair between the two conference champions. The new format rewards the teams with the best records and raises the possibility of a strong division placing all of its teams in the playoffs while a weaker division would only see the division winner and second place team going through.
Using the OUA West Conference as an example; this means that the two division champs get a bye while the teams in the two divisions with the next best four records then being seeded as No. 1 to 4, with 1 playing 4 and 2 playing 3 in the first round. For the second round, with four teams remaining, teams are again seeded 1 to 4 with 1 playing 4 and 2 playing 3.
The third round will be the Conference final with home ice going to the higher seed. The same playoff format will apply for the OUA East Conference.
The Queen's Cup will be played at the home of the Conference Champion with a better record, unless the East Conference Champion is a Quebec based team. In this situation, the Queens Cup Final will be played at the home of the OUA West Champion. Both Conference Champions will qualify for the CIS Nationals in Edmonton at the end of March.
OUA MENS HOCKEY PLAYOFF SCHEDULE 2005
First round (Best of 3) Wed-Sun Feb. 21-27
Second round (Best of 3) Wedi-Sun Mar. 2-6
Third round (Best of 3) Wed-Sun Mar. 9-13
Queens Cup Sat. March 19
Note: All dates are subject to change depending on facility availability and playoff match-ups. (Precise dates to be determined later) Exact dates for each play-off series to be determined by the two teams involved. In cases where agreement cannot be made by the two teams, the OUA hockey Convenor will adjudicate a suitable dates(s).