Posted: Jan 29, 2021

NCHA establishes a plan for conference play

MEQUON, Wis. - After months of planning for a safe return-to-play, the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association will drop the puck on a revised league schedule this weekend. The restart will feature new divisions in both the men's and women's conferences as well as a new overtime/shootout structure and points system - which will be used to determine teams and seeds for a planned 2020-21 NCHA postseason.

Men's and women's teams will play eight conference games against division opponents in the regular season, with the composite schedule starting this weekend and ending March 7. Teams are not restricted from playing additional non-conference games against other NCHA teams.

Overtime will look different in the coming weeks, with the league adopting the three-on-three format for the five-minute extra session. If teams remain tied after the overtime, a three-player shootout will be conducted. If a winner is not determined after three rounds, the teams will continue the shootout, one round at a time, until a winner is determined.

The new points system will be as follows:

Regulation Win - 3 points

Regulation Loss - 0 points

Overtime/Shootout Win - 2 points

Overtime/Shootout Loss - 1 point

League playoffs are planned, but the format will be announced at a later date. The winner of the Women's Slaats Cup Playoffs and Men's Harris Cup Playoffs will earn the NCHA's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The new divisions are listed below.

WOMEN'S CONFERENCE

NORTH

Concordia Wisconsin

Lawrence

Marian

St. Scholastica

SOUTH

Adrian

Aurora

Lake Forest

Trine

MEN'S CONFERENCE