Playoffs

2025/26 PLAYOFF FORMAT

Every CUHL division will have their own playoff tournament, and every team is guaranteed at least one playoff game. Each division's final standings will be determined by each team's points total, and the league Regular Season Tie-Breaking Procedures. Those can be found on our standings page HERE. Teams that finish high enough will automatically enter their division's 6 team (D4) or 8 team (D1, D2, D3) round robin tournament. Teams that finish in places below the cut off will have a play-in game to earn entry into the round robin.

10 Team Divisions (D1-B ; D2-C ; D3-C)

Top 6 teams advance to the round robin.

7th place will play 10th place for the #7 seed.

8th place will play 9th place for the #8 seed.

9 Team Divisions (D2-D ; D3-A ; D3-D)

Top 7 teams advance to the round robin.

8th place will play 9th place for the 8th seed.

8 Team Divisions (D1-A ; D1-C ; D2-A ; D2-B ; D3-B)

All 8 teams advance to the round robin.

7 Team Divisions (D4-Bedard ; D4-Nazar)

Top 5 teams advance to the round robin.

6th place will play 7th place for the 6th seed.

Play-in games are hosted by the HIGHER PLACED TEAM in regular season standings. The exception to this is if any of our Out of Area clubs are involved in play-in games. ANY GAMES THAT INVOLVE PEKIN, PEORIA, or ST. LOUIS WILL BE PLAYED ON PRE-DETERMINED SLOTS.

Out of Area Team Host Sites:

D1 - B (game involving St. Louis Vikings #1) - Host: Joliet Jr. Jaguars

Tuesday, February 17, 6:10pm (Canlan Romeoville / Rink 3)

D2 - C (game involving St. Louis Vikings #2) - Host: Joliet Jr. Jaguars

Tuesday, February 17, 6:30pm (Canlan Romeoville / Rink 1)

D2 - C (game involving Pekin Jr. Dragons #1) - Host: Romeoville Jr. Huskies

Tuesday, February 17, 6:00pm (Canlan Romeoville / Rink 2)

All Play-In Games must be played between Monday, February 16 and Thursday, February 19.

Division round robins will be played on pre-determined host slots. All round robin games will be played between Friday, February 20 and Tuesday, February 24. The 8 teams in the round robin will be split into two groups of 4 who will play each of the 3 teams in their pool once. The makeup of each pool will generally be 1/4/5/8 and 2/3/6/7. For 6 team pools, 1/4/5 and 2/3/6. This format is usually followed but ultimately it will be determined by the CUHL Competition Committee who reserves the right to align teams as needed. The teams who win each pool will play each other in the division finals on Sunday, March 1 at Glacier Ice Arena.

Division Hosts:

D1 - A (Chicago Jr. Stallions / Wilmette Jr. Trevians)

D1 - B (Junior Express / Junior Falcons)

D1 - C (Chicago Jr. Bulldogs / Junior Chargers)

D2 - A (Chicago Jr. Blues / Winnetka Jr. Warriors)

D2 - B (Junior Cyclones / West Dundee Jr. Leafs)

D2 - C (Chicago Jr. Jets / Junior Vipers)

D2 - D (Glenview Jr. Stars / Midwest Jr. Blackbirds)

D3 - A (Chiefs Hockey Club / St. Jude Jr. Knights)

D3 - B (Orland Jr. Vikes / Rolling Meadows Renegades)

D3 - C (Darien Phantoms / Naperville Jr. Sabres)

D3 - D (Crystal Lake Stingers / DuPage Jr. Black Bears)

D4 - Bedard (Mammoth Hockey Club / Northbrook Jr. Bluehawks)

D4 - Nazar (Joliet Jr. Jaguars / Romeoville Jr. Huskies)

Click on the division links below for detailed schedules and results.

HOST SITES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING SCOREKEEPERS TO WORK SCOREBOARD AND GAMESHEET IPADS!

All division finals will be hosted by the Glacier Jr. Ice Dogs at Glacier Ice Arena on Sunday, March 1. Detailed finals schedules can be found by clicking the "finals" link below.

OVERTIME FORMAT

Playoffs (Play-In & Round Robin Games): If a game is tied after regulation, a 3 round shootout shall take place. If there is no winner decided, the shootout will continue round-by-round until one team scores and the other does not. Playoff games cannot end in a tie. No shooter may shoot twice in the shootout until all skaters have shot once.

Championship Games Only: If a game is tied after regulation, a 10 minute sudden-death overtime period will be played. Goalies do not switch ends after the 3rd. If the game is still tied after overtime, then the playoff shootout rule will be followed.

STANDINGS POINTS

PLEASE NOTE:

ALL PLAYOFF GAMES MUST HAVE A WINNER. THREE ROUND SHOOTOUT WILL BE EXTENDED TO SUDDEN-DEATH WHEN NEEDED. NO TIES!

Regulation Win - 3 points

Shootout Win - 2 points

Shootout Loss - 1 point

Regulation Loss - 0 points

STANDINGS TIE-BREAKERS

CUHL PLAYOFF TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURE

1) Head-to-Head Competition (2 tied teams)

2) Total Points Accumulated in games involving 3 tied teams

3) More Total Regulation Wins

4) Fewer Total Regulation Losses

5) Fewer Total Goals Allowed

6) More Total Goals Scored (Maximum +5 GD)

7) Team with more Shutouts

8) Team to score first in game involving 2 tied teams

9) Team to score earliest in games involving 3 tied teams

Coming soon!