After the thrill of becoming 18/19 NIHLS1 League Champions, the Swindon Wildcats are busy re-focusing on the next hurdle of the season, the playoffs! Here is a breakdown of how the 2018/2019 NIHL Playoffs will work:

–        The 8 teams will qualify for the Quarter-Final stage of the competition. The 1st place team will play the 8th, 2nd vs 7th, 3rd vs 6th and 4th vs 5th. This means as it stands we will be taking on Invicta in a two-legged home and away QF on the weekend of the 23rdth & 24th March. Due to Swindon having home advantage we can confirm we will be playing the home leg on Saturday 23rd March.

–        After the Quarter-Final stage the 4 remaining teams will then battle it out in a two-legged Semi-Final. These games will be decided by the winner of 1st vs 8th taking on the winner of 4th vs 5th. Then the winner of 3rd vs 6th taking on the winner of 2nd vs 7th. These games will be played on the weekend of 30th & 31st March.

–        Should we beat the Invicta Dynamos in the quarter final, we’ll qualify for the semi finals on the below dates where we’d take on the Bracknell Bees or the Raiders IHC. 

Regardless of who we’d play, should we go through, the home semi-final game will be on Sunday 31st March at 4:15PM. This will not be part of the season tickets, but seats will be reserved until a set date. More details will be released depending on if we go through to the semis

 –        After the two Semi-Final winners have been confirmed, the NIHL South Regional Final will take place. The winner will then be crowned the Southern Champion. The final will be played on the weekend of 6th & 7th April.

–        BOTH Southern and Northern finalists will then qualify for the Coventry National Finals weekend, where the two teams from the south take on the two teams from the north. These will take place at the Coventry Skydome on 13th & 14th April 

“Obviously winning the league title is a success but there is still so much more left to play for. This is an incredibly exciting time to be part of Swindon Wildcats, and we cannot wait to get going in the playoffs. We are pleased with what we have done so far but the job is only part done. We need to refocus ourselves and continue the good habits for the last month of the season; it is all knockout hockey from here so we have to be at our best each night. Said Head Coach Aaron Nell.

The playoffs are the most exciting games to watch and there is no better time to come down to the Better Link Centre, and even more so to help cheer on the League Champions. Tickets are available online, in-store and over the phone at 01793 886857.