QMJHL playoffs keep rolling on

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

And then there was one.

Only one of the three CHL leagues will attempt to crown a playoff champion this season. The Western Hockey League announced Monday it will not hold playoffs while the Ontario Hockey League will not have a season at all.

That leaves the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as the lone CHL circuit that will try and end its season with a trophy presentation.

The QMJHL's President Cup playoffs began on Tuesday with the first match of the unique nine-game round-robin tournament between the three New Brunswick-based teams. The winner will advance to play the Charlottetown Islanders in the Maritimes Division final - a series that will be logistically difficult due to travel restrictions if possible at all.

The league confirmed a number of details for the round-robin on Tuesday. One of the biggest questions: will there be the usual playoff overtime format? The answer is.

What happens if there is a tie - or ties - when the tournament ends? The answer from the league:

For the standings, each win in regulation or overtime will be two points and an overtime lost is no point.

In case of a tie in points between the two first teams at the conclusion of the round robin series, a sudden death game will be play on May 4.

The site and the home team advantage of the sudden death game will be determined as follows:

• The team who accumulates more wins against each other in the round robin.

In case of a tie in points between three teams at the conclusion of the round robin series, the tie breaking formula that will be put in place:

• To determine the position of the teams, we will add each team's goals for with their goals against which sum you divide into such team's goals for. The team with the highest percentage will automatically attend the sudden death game.
• To determinate the second team to attend the sudden death game between the second position in percentage and third position in percentage: the team who will accumulate more wins against each other in the round robin will play a sudden death game on May 4 at the rink of the team who had the highest percentage in the round robin.
• If the first and second place teams have the same and highest percentage, both teams will go to the sudden death game and the sudden death game will be played at the rink of the team who accumulated more wins against each other in the round robin. The lowest percentage team will be eliminated.

The league also plans on the Maritimes Division final being a best-of-seven series - but, realistically, COVID-19 and travel restrictions will determine that.

Playoff action continues Thursday with the Sea Dogs weirdly hosting the Titan in Bathurst. The Quebec playoffs get rolling on Friday with Sherbrooke/Chicoutimi; Rimouski/Shawinigan; and Rouyn-Noranda/Victoriaville all beginning their best-of-five series. Baie-Comeau/Val-d'Or will begin on Saturday.

The Drummondville/Quebec series is scheduled to begin next Tuesday and Gatineau/Blainville-Boisbriand will start on Wednesday.

Some other scheduling news and notes:

• The IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship, scheduled to begin in a couple weeks in Halifax and Truro, was abruptly cancelled Wednesday due to a sharp increase in COVID-19 numbers in Nova Scotia.
• The USHL playoffs are scheduled to begin April 30.
• The NHL hopes to start its 2021-22 season on Oct. 12, according to Pierre Lebrun.