MOL Liga Playoff Teams Set

The final day of games was needed to set the teams for the MOL Liga playoffs, with HSC Csikszereda and HC Novy Zamky notching the last two spots.  Miskolc Jegesmedvek locked their spot up last week and Dunaujvaros Acelbikak had the top spot set for several weeks.

In the day’s first game, HSC Csikszereda defeated a resting DAB Dolcer, 5-2.  Vaclav Novak had two assists as Csikszereda saw five different goal scorers in the afternoon match.  The win gave Csikszereda the third seed leaving the final two matches to decide the final playoff team.  They would be waiting on DAB Docler’s decision on who they would take in the first round for a possible home-ice series against one of the final two teams playing Monday evening.

HC Nove Zamky drew Ujpest TE for their final match and dealt with them handily, 5-1.  Vladimirs Momonovs and Martin Baron both scored two goals for Nove Zamky; Miroslav Stefanka and Ondrej Stefanka both had two assists.  The win gave Nove Zamky the last playoff spot based on the tiebreaker with ASC Corona Brasov.  The tiebreaker rule when two teams are tied on points is head-to-head wins, and Nove Zamky got the best of Brasso this year.  The MOL Liga lost several teams in the offseason, but gained Nove Zamky, who was able to make the playoffs in their inaugural season with a balanced team effort.

ASC Corona Brasov was playing Ferencvaros as the Nove Zamky-Ujpest match was on-going, so they needed Nove Zamky to get less than three points and they also needed a three point victory if they were to make it an all-Romanian first round match.  They held up their end, defeating Ferencvaros, 6-3.  Csaba Nagy scored two goals on the day for Brasso.  North American players Joshua Bonar (goal and an assist), Kevin Wehrs (goal and an assist) and Rory Rawlik (assist, game misconduct) helped carry the team to victory.  It is hard to imagine if these three, along with Juhamatti Hietamaki, played an entire season that Brasso would have had at least one more point and made the playoffs.  However, their season ended with hard fought play down the stretch, but an early end to the season.

The MOL Liga set a rule this year allowing the regular season’s best team to pick their first round opponent.  DAB Docler selected Miskolc, the team with the season's best record and highest powered offense (210 goals in 48 games).  Though this is the most difficult route to get to the championship round, the Acelbikak make a statement by taking on the greatest challenge right away.  They also limit travel outside of Hungary to just one round if they are able to finish off Miskolc.

The second set of matches will see Csikszereda with home-ice advantage as the three seed against Nove Zamky.  Travel will be an interesting factor in this series between two very closely matched teams with differing styles of play.  The winner will play a higher seeded team in a best of seven series.  The first round is a best of five series with a 2-2-1 format.  The first two matches for each of the teams are set for 02 and 03 March in Dunaujvaros and Csikszereda.  

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