The Newfoundland Regiment (36-22-3-1) have already announced their first two playoff dates, but the club still has plenty on the line heading in to its last two games of the regular season against the Halifax Mooseheads (29-27-3-3) on Friday and Saturday night.
PLAYOFF POSITION STILL AT STAKE
The Regiment are still clinging to third place in the Eastern Conference standings, but remain just two points ahead of the Charlottetown Islanders, who have played the same number of games (62) as the Regiment.
The Islanders have won nine of their last 10 games and will face the eighth place Saint John Sea Dogs in their last two games. By contrast, the Regiment are 5-3-2-0 in their last 10 games, and have the seventh place Mooseheads to contend with this weekend.
TALE OF THE TAPE
Following a rock solid month of February in which the club amassed an 8-1-0-0 record, March hasn’t been quite as kind to the Newfoundland Regiment. Heading into their final weekend of the regular season, Newfoundland has collected just one win in its last five games, and a 2-3-2 record in seven games in March.
Dawson Sharkey boasts the longest active point streak on the Regiment at four games, with four goals and two assists during his streak.
Despite sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, the Mooseheads have flipped the script late in the season, and will enter action against the Regiment boasting a four-game win streak, their longest such streak of the season.
Mooseheads rookie Oleg Kulebiakin is on the second-longest active point streak in the QMJHL at 11 games, amassing six goals and 15 assists for 21 points in his last 11 games.
WHO’S THE LIKELY FIRST ROUND OPPONENT?
If the playoffs started today, the third place Regiment would host the sixth place Cape Breton Eagles, but lots of factors can still impact this matchup.
Beyond the fact that fourth place Charlottetown can still oust the Regiment from third place, the remaining playoff positions will all be decided this weekend, as just six points separate seventh place and fifth place in the conference.
The Quebec Remparts sit in fifth place with 70 points and play powerhouse Chicoutimi this weekend.
If the Regiment score a pair of wins over Halifax this weekend, they will lock down third place in the conference, and a likely first round matchup against Cape Breton.
If Charlottetown claims third place after this weekend, the Quebec Remparts appear to be the most likely opponent.
