2007–08 PIHA season

2008 PIHA season
League Professional Inline Hockey Association
Sport Inline hockey
Duration December 1, 2007 – June 15, 2008
Regular season
Season MVP Kyle Gouge (Midwest)
Top scorer Brian Yingling (Colorado Springs)
Playoffs
Eastern champions Connecticut Blaze
  Eastern runners-up Philadelphia Growl
Western champions Phoenix Dragons
  Western runners-up Southside Snipers
Playoffs MVP Josh Laricchia (Phoenix)
Finals
Finals champions Phoenix Dragons
  Runners-up Connecticut Blaze

The 2008 PIHA season is the 7th season of the Professional Inline Hockey Association. It began on December 1, 2007, and will run through April 27, 2008. The Founders Cup Playoffs ended on June 15, with the Phoenix Dragons taking the championship by defeating the Connecticut Blaze four games to two.

Contents

League business

This season is the first for 18 expansion teams; the Arizona Strike, Chicago Untouchables, East Bay Jawz, El Paso Black Diamonds, Long Island 495ers, Marple Gladiators, Maryland Knights, N.E. Philadelphia Revolution, Northern California Mustangs, Phoenix Dragons, Potomac Mavericks, Raleigh Assault, Sacramento Saxons, San Jose Pirates, Savannah Stingers (moved to Williamsburg,VA midseason and were renamed Williamsburg Stingers), South Carolina Pirates, Tucson Desperados, and Winchester Generals.

Ryan Grant of the defending champion Boston Swamp Rats scored the first goal of the season against the N.E. Philadelphia Revolution on December 1 in Holbrook, Massachusetts.

Final Regular Season Standings

GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime/Shootout Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PTS = Points.

Divisional standings

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
y-Philadelphia Growl 32 28 4 0 178 76 56
x-New Jersey Grizzlies 32 25 5 2 123 79 52
x-Aston Demolition 32 15 12 5 123 118 35
x-Feasterville Fury 32 15 14 3 134 136 33
e-Northeast Philadelphia Revolution 32 8 22 2 86 174 18
e-New Jersey Stampede 32 6 22 4 86 151 16
Mason Dixon Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
y-Harrisburg Lunatics 32 27 5 0 195 79 54
x-Pittsburgh Bandits 32 21 7 4 134 89 46
x-Scottdale Inferno 32 19 10 3 137 100 41
x-Potomac Mavericks 32 19 12 1 161 122 39
e-Maryland Knights 32 18 12 2 149 104 38
e-Winchester Generals 32 0 32 0 52 241 0
Northeast Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
z-Connecticut Blaze 32 28 2 2 165 90 58
x-Long Island 495ers 32 20 11 1 135 114 41
x-Boston Swamp Rats 32 17 13 2 140 127 36
x-Massachusetts Bombers 32 15 15 2 147 142 32
e-Hartford Fire Ants 32 9 19 4 84 140 22
e-Marple Gladiators 32 6 22 4 113 167 16
Southeast Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
y-South Carolina Pirates 32 25 5 2 179 74 52
e-Raleigh Assault 32 21 11 0 130 113 42
x-Richmond Robins 32 15 14 3 123 106 33
x-York Typhoon 32 10 21 1 89 167 21
e-Williamsburg Stingers 32 1 31 0 39 193 2

Western Conference

Gateway Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
b-Midwest Tornados 32 30 2 0 145 53 60
x-Chicago Untouchables 32 20 11 1 154 104 41
x-Southside Snipers 32 18 12 2 111 111 38
x-St. Louis Cobras 32 14 15 3 115 109 31
e-River City Whalers 32 8 22 2 68 131 18
e-Cincinnati Flying Monkeys 32 5 25 2 70 155 12
Pacific Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
y-San Jose Pirates 32 27 5 0 163 100 54
x-Northern California Mustangs 32 18 10 4 105 96 40
x-East Bay Jawz 32 12 18 2 100 127 26
e-Sacramento Saxons 32 7 23 2 102 147 16
Rocky Mountain Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
y-Colorado Springs Thunder 32 29 2 1 191 80 59
x-Westminster Blizzard 28 16 9 3 110 93 35
x-Lakewood Fire 32 15 16 1 101 123 31
x-Fort Collins Catz 30 9 19 2 101 141 20
e-Parker Prowlers 30 7 22 1 87 153 15
Southwest Division GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
y-Phoenix Dragons 32 26 6 0 185 122 52
e-Arizona Strike 30 18 10 2 121 103 38
x-Tucson Desparados 30 9 18 3 105 148 21
e-El Paso Black Diamonds 32 9 20 3 95 133 21

Conference standings

*-Denotes Division Leader

Eastern Conference GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
z-Connecticut Blaze * 32 28 2 2 165 90 58
y-Philadelphia Growl * 32 28 4 0 178 76 56
y-Harrisburg Lunatics* 32 27 5 0 195 79 54
y-South Carolina Pirates * 32 25 5 2 179 74 52
x-New Jersey Grizzlies 32 25 5 2 123 79 52
x-Pittsburgh Bandits 32 21 7 4 134 89 46
x-Long Island 495ers 32 20 11 1 135 114 41
x-Scottdale Inferno 32 19 10 3 137 100 41
x-Potomac Mavericks 32 19 12 1 161 122 39
x-Boston Swamp Rats 32 17 13 2 140 127 36
x-Aston Demolition 32 15 12 5 123 118 35
x-Richmond Robins 32 15 14 3 123 106 33
x-Feasterville Fury 32 15 14 3 134 136 33
x-Massachusetts Bombers 32 15 15 2 147 142 32
x-York Typhoon 32 10 21 1 89 167 21
e-Raleigh Assault 32 21 11 0 130 113 42
e-Maryland Knights 32 18 12 2 149 104 38
e-Hartford Fire Ants 32 9 19 4 84 140 22
e-Northeast Philadelphia Revolution 32 8 22 2 86 174 18
e-New Jersey Stampede 32 6 22 4 86 151 16
e-Marple Gladiators 32 6 22 4 113 167 16
e-Williamsburg Stingers 32 1 31 0 39 193 2
e-Winchester Generals 32 0 32 0 52 241 0

x - clinched playoff spot, y - clinched division title, b - clinched Best Overall Record, z - clinched best conference record, e - eliminated from playoff contention, * - division leader

Western Conference GP W L OTL GF GA PTS
b-Midwest Tornados * 32 30 2 0 145 53 60
y-Colorado Springs Thunder * 32 29 2 1 191 80 59
y-San Jose Pirates * 32 27 5 0 163 100 54
y-Phoenix Dragons * 32 26 6 0 185 122 52
x-Chicago Untouchables 32 20 11 1 154 104 41
x-Northern California Mustangs 32 18 10 4 105 96 40
x-Southside Snipers 32 18 12 2 111 111 38
x-Westminster Blizzard 28 16 9 3 110 93 35
x-Lakewood Fire 32 15 16 1 101 123 31
x-St. Louis Cobras 32 14 15 3 115 109 31
x-East Bay Jawz 32 12 18 2 100 127 26
x-Tucson Desparados 30 9 18 3 105 148 21
x-Fort Collins Catz 30 9 19 2 101 141 20
e-Arizona Strike 30 18 10 2 121 103 38
e-El Paso Black Diamonds 32 9 20 3 95 133 21
e-River City Whalers 32 8 22 2 68 131 18
e-Sacramento Saxons 32 7 23 2 102 147 16
e-Parker Prowlers 30 7 22 1 87 153 15
e-Cincinnati Flying Monkeys 32 5 25 2 70 155 12

x - clinched playoff spot, y - clinched division title, b - clinched Best Overall Record, z - clinched best conference record, e - eliminated from playoff contention, * - division leader

Tiebreaking Procedures

Where two or more clubs are tied in points at the end of the regular season, the standing of the clubs is determined in the following order:

  1. The greater number of games won.
  2. The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs.
  3. The greater differential between goals for and against.

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; PTS = Points; STAR = Star Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes

As of April 28

Player Team GP G A PTS STAR PIM
Brian Yingling Colorado Springs Thunder 32 63 57 120 64 22
CJ Yoder Colorado Springs Thunder 32 37 70 107 43 24
Josh Laricchia Phoenix Dragons 24 44 57 101 52 10
Mike Ciolli Colorado Springs Thunder 32 30 69 99 33 10
Marc Genest South Carolina Pirates 23 45 48 93 22 45
Darcy Anderson South Carolina Pirates 21 41 46 87 22 16
John Pinheiro Connecticut Blaze 31 49 37 86 56 18
Danny Marmorstein Phoenix Dragons 32 31 52 83 34 20
Brian Fleury Potomac Mavericks 28 27 49 76 29 10
Kevin Donovan Potomac Mavericks 30 30 36 66 26 18

Founders Cup playoffs

Playoff seeds

After the 2008 PIHA regular season, 27 teams qualified for the playoffs, 14 from the Eastern Conference and 13 from the Western Conference.

Eastern Conference

Northeast Division
  1. Connecticut Blaze - Northeast Division and Eastern Conference regular season champion; 58 points
  2. Long Island 495ers - 41 points
  3. Boston Swamp Rats - 36 points
  4. Massachusetts Bombers - 31 points
Atlantic Division
  1. Philadelphia Growl - Atlantic Division champion, 56 points
  2. New Jersey Grizzlies - 52 points
  3. Aston Demolition - 35 points
  4. Feasterville Fury - 33 points
Mason Dixon Division
  1. Harrisburg Lunatics - Mason Dixon Division champion, 54 points
  2. Pittsburgh Bandits - 46 points
  3. Scottdale Inferno - 41 points
  4. Potomac Mavericks - 39 points
Southeast Division *
  1. South Carolina Pirates - Southeast Division champion, 52 points
  2. Richmond Robins - 33 points
  3. York Typhoon - 21 points

Western Conference

Gateway Division
  1. Midwest Tornados - Gateway Division and Western Conference regular season champion; Best Overall Record Trophy winner, 60 points
  2. Chicago Untouchables - 41 points
  3. Southside Snipers - 38 points
  4. St. Louis Cobras - 31 points
Rocky Mountain Division
  1. Colorado Springs Thunder - Rocky Mountain Division champion, 59 points
  2. Westminster Blizzard - 35 points
  3. Lakewood Fire - 31 points
  4. Fort Collins Catz - 30
Southwest Division *
  1. Phoenix Dragons - Southwest Division champion, 52 points
  2. Tucson Desparados - 21 points
Pacific Division
  1. San Jose Pirates - Pacific Division champion, 54 points
  2. Northern California Mustangs - 40 points
  3. East Bay Jawz - 26 points

* The Southeast Division was to have four teams qualify for the playoffs, but the Raleigh Assault were removed before playoffs began.
* The Southwest Division was to have three teams qualify for the playoffs, but the Arizona Strike were removed before playoffs began.

  Division Semifinals Division Finals Conference Semifinals Conference Finals Founders Cup Finals
                                               
1  Connecticut Blaze 2  
4  Massachusetts Bombers 0  
  1  Connecticut Blaze 2  
Northeast Division
    2  Long Island 495ers 1  
2  Long Island 495ers 2
3  Boston Swamp Rats 1  
  NE1  Connecticut Blaze 2  
  SE1  South Carolina Pirates 0  
1  Philadelphia Growl 2  
4  Feasterville Fury 0  
  1  Philadelphia Growl 2
Atlantic Division
    2  New Jersey Grizzlies 0  
2  New Jersey Grizzlies 2
3  Aston Demolition 0  
  NE1  Connecticut Blaze 3  
Eastern Conference
  A1  Philadelphia Growl 2  
1  Harrisburg Lunatics 2  
4  Potomac Mavericks 0  
  1  Harrisburg Lunatics 2
Mason Dixon Division
    2  Pittsburgh Bandits 1  
2  Pittsburgh Bandits 2
3  Scottdale Inferno 1  
  A1  Philadelphia Growl 2
  MD1  Harrisburg Lunatics 0  
   
   
  1  South Carolina Pirates 2
Southeast Division
    2  Richmond Robins 0  
2  Richmond Robins 2
3  York Typhoon 1  
  NE1  Connecticut Blaze 2
  SW1  Phoenix Dragons 4
1  Midwest Tornados 2  
4  St. Louis Cobras 0  
  1  Midwest Tornados 1  
Gateway Division
    3  Southside Snipers 2  
2  Chicago Untouchables 0
3  Southside Snipers 2  
  RM1  Colorado Springs Thunder 1  
  G3  Southside Snipers 2  
1  Colorado Springs Thunder 2  
4  Fort Collins Catz 0  
  1  Colorado Springs Thunder 2
Rocky Mountain Division
    2  Westminster Blizzard 1  
2  Westminster Blizzard 2
3  Lakewood Fire 0  
  G3  Southside Snipers 1
Western Conference
  SW1  Phoenix Dragons 3  
   
   
  1  Phoenix Dragons 2
Southwest Division
    2  Tucson Desparados 0  
 
   
  SW1  Phoenix Dragons 2
  P1  Northern California Mustangs 1  
   
   
  1  San Jose Pirates 0
Pacific Division
    2  Northern California Mustangs 2  
2  Northern California Mustangs 2
3  East Bay Jawz 0  

See also