February 16th, 2018
Two QCHA travel teams qualified for the NIHL 2017-2018 playoffs, titled the “NIHL Blackhawks Championships”, which open this coming weekend February 17.
The QCHA Bantam Ice Eagles team finished second in the Silver Tier 2 standings. Their NIHL season record was 11-4-1 with their goals-for to goals-against differential being second in the league as well at +27. The Bantam Ice Eagles will have an uphill task to qualify for the finals, but are working hard to be up to the challenge. Their opening round opponent is the #1 seed from their Silver Tier 2 league, the Ice Dogs 3 out of Barrington, IL. Earlier in the year, the Ice Eagles fell to the Ice Dogs 2-4 and 3-5. Knowing they can play with and secure a big victory, the Ice Eagles take the ice this Saturday at 1:50 in Barrington. The winner of this game goes on the play the #1 seed in the Bantam Silver Division Wolfpack 1 next Saturday at the Mount Prospect (IL) Ice Arena.
The PeeWee Ice Eagles open their playoff drive this Sunday, February 18 with a 9:15 am contest against Skokie 3 to be played at the Skatium in Skokie IL. It will be the first game between the Ice Eagles and Skokie 3. The PeeWee Ice Eagles finished in a three way tie for first place in the Silver Tier 2 standings with a 10-3-3 record. However, by the tie-breaking system they were the 3-seed coming out of Tier 2. At the PeeWee level, for the NIHL playoffs teams in Silver Tier 1 are seeded 1-8 and teams in Silver Tier 2 are seeded 9-16 based on their standings. Should the PeeWee Ice Eagles be successful they will take on the winner of the Peoria 2 vs. Sabres 2 contest next Saturday at the Fox Valley Ice Arena.
Best of luck to all our skaters and coaches. Go Ice Eagles!