NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX–
It’s true. The Lone Star Brahmas secured a spot in the postseason over the weekend with the four points they captured in New Mexico. It is a rare occasion to shutout the Ice Wolves, let alone perform the feat on back to back nights with two different goalies. What was even more improbable would be how the Brahmas earned those victories via a grand total of two goals striking the twine during the entirety of the road trip. “One game at a time” mantra is important, and there you have the statistics to substantiate the importance of that time-tested philosophy. While qualifying for the playoffs remains a priority for every team every season, that distinction is only a scratch of the surface. In the NAHL, particularly in the ultra-competitive South Division, the four teams which make it to the playoffs are positioned for battles in which seeding can present an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the form the teams are playing in when the postseason lands.
Already the phone calls and emails to the box office and team executives have begun a familiar chorus of “when are you going to announce the schedule?” and “how do the tickets for that work?” and every variation of those questions imaginable. The answers elude our fan base for the now because there are only two of the four teams known, and there is so much hockey left to play before those two remaining teams can be determined. Which two teams will qualify? Which teams will have more points and/or tie-breakers needed to determine the seeding?
The Brahmas currently sit in second place in the NAHL South Division at the time of this article. True, the top two teams in each NAHL division will have home ice for the first round. This means that games one and two of the South Division Semi Finals will be held in the barns of the top two teams, and should there be a game 5 in the best of 5 series, that game 5 would be held in the barn of the higher-seeded team. The Brahmas have not yet secured a top two seed.
The teams of the South Division are packed together fairly tight, from the perspective of points earned, and the remaining games which might present any opportunity to earn more of these precious regular season points. Arch-rival Shreveport can still catch the Brahmas as they are just four points back with six games to play. Amarillo is chasing New Mexico for the last spot in the South Division playoffs, as they too are four points back with six games to play. This coming weekend could bring clarity as far as seeding is concerned in the South Division of the NAHL. Amarillo faces off against the last place Corpus Christi Ice Rays, Shreveport takes on the 1st place Oklahoma Warriors, and New Mexico battles their Mountain Time Zone Rivals in the El Paso Rhinos.
The Brahmas head west on I-20 this Thursday as they take on the Odessa Jackalopes at the Ector County Coliseum. One game at a time starts Thursday night. Three games in three days against the Jacks is the full scope of the Brahmas focus this week. As always tune in to Hockey TV to catch all the action. Playoff tickets will go on sale just as soon as the seeding is sorted and not one moment before. There is some good news to be had: Season Ticket Holders, Billets, and Sponsors will automatically receive tickets to every home Brahmas playoff game. Season Tickets packages for next year are already on sale via the Box Office! Contact Connor Morrison and/or Zach Seemans for more information.