With one weekend of SUNYAC regular season play left, Brockport is almost assured entrance into the playoffs.
Brockport is currently tied with Morrisville for sixth place in the conference with 12 points.
Morrisville's season is already done, having ended the season a week earlier than the rest of the conference.
If Brockport loses out, they still get in based on league rules. The SUNYAC has this tie breaker system in place:
1. The best record of tied teams against each other based on Conference play
2. Number of total Conference wins over ties if points are equal.
3. Goal differential against each other in Conference play.
4. Goal differential against all other Conference teams.
5. Coin flip by Commissioner.
#1 doesn't work: Brockport and Morrisville split their series this year.
#2 doesn't work: Both teams currently have 5 wins and 2 ties.
#3 DOES work. While Morrisville beat Brockport 3-1, Brockport beat Morrisville 7-3 in the other game.
But, that's just one scenario. The other fly in the ointment is Cortland.
They have 8 points. If Brockport loses both games (highly unlikely as Brockport shutout Buffalo State and Fredonia both in December) AND Cortland wins both of theirs (again highly unlikely because they play Plattsburgh) Brockport gets in due to the tiebreaker and once again we would have to go to line item #3. In their split series, Brockport outscored Cortland 7-6.
Phew!
That shows, yet again, how critical every game and every goal is in conference play.
What will this weekend decide then?
We will find out if next Wednesday Brockport goes to Geneseo or Buffalo State for a playoff game.
Would you rather they play our greatest rival or avenge last year's playoff loss?
Editor's note: After I wrote this, Coach Dickinson brought up something I hadn't considered... if Brockport/Cortland/Morrisville tied there would be a tiebreaker amongst all 3 tied teams with all 3 teams’ records calculated in collectively.
He said, "If playoffs began today…yes we would get in over Morrisville. And yes we do hold the tiebreaker over Cortland as you pointed out. The problem would be if we lose out and Cortland wins out that would put us, Cortland and Morrisville in a 3 team tiebreaker at 5-9-2 for 12 points. In a 3 team tiebreaker Morrisville would win that with a 3-1 record amongst tied teams. We’d be 2-2 and Cortland 1-3."
Something to consider. The playoff picture is never easy.
Brockport is currently tied with Morrisville for sixth place in the conference with 12 points.
Morrisville's season is already done, having ended the season a week earlier than the rest of the conference.
If Brockport loses out, they still get in based on league rules. The SUNYAC has this tie breaker system in place:
1. The best record of tied teams against each other based on Conference play
2. Number of total Conference wins over ties if points are equal.
3. Goal differential against each other in Conference play.
4. Goal differential against all other Conference teams.
5. Coin flip by Commissioner.
#1 doesn't work: Brockport and Morrisville split their series this year.
#2 doesn't work: Both teams currently have 5 wins and 2 ties.
#3 DOES work. While Morrisville beat Brockport 3-1, Brockport beat Morrisville 7-3 in the other game.
But, that's just one scenario. The other fly in the ointment is Cortland.
They have 8 points. If Brockport loses both games (highly unlikely as Brockport shutout Buffalo State and Fredonia both in December) AND Cortland wins both of theirs (again highly unlikely because they play Plattsburgh) Brockport gets in due to the tiebreaker and once again we would have to go to line item #3. In their split series, Brockport outscored Cortland 7-6.
Phew!
That shows, yet again, how critical every game and every goal is in conference play.
What will this weekend decide then?
We will find out if next Wednesday Brockport goes to Geneseo or Buffalo State for a playoff game.
Would you rather they play our greatest rival or avenge last year's playoff loss?
Editor's note: After I wrote this, Coach Dickinson brought up something I hadn't considered... if Brockport/Cortland/Morrisville tied there would be a tiebreaker amongst all 3 tied teams with all 3 teams’ records calculated in collectively.
He said, "If playoffs began today…yes we would get in over Morrisville. And yes we do hold the tiebreaker over Cortland as you pointed out. The problem would be if we lose out and Cortland wins out that would put us, Cortland and Morrisville in a 3 team tiebreaker at 5-9-2 for 12 points. In a 3 team tiebreaker Morrisville would win that with a 3-1 record amongst tied teams. We’d be 2-2 and Cortland 1-3."
Something to consider. The playoff picture is never easy.
