The #4-seed Minnesota Wilderness and top-seed Fairbanks Ice Dogs are scheduled to begin their first round NAHL Robertson Cup playoff series this weekend. The first weekend in the best 3-out-of-5 series will be held at the Big Dipper Arena in Fairbanks, AK. The second weekend is scheduled for Cloquet, although there is a scenario where it could end before coming back to Minnesota.
The first two games of the Midwest Division Semi-Final series will be Friday and Saturday nights in Fairbanks. Due to Fairbanks having home-ice advantage, there are two scenarios which will lead to a third game being played in their home arena on Sunday. If the series is tied at 1 or if the Wilderness win the first two games, the two teams will play on Sunday in Fairbanks. If Minnesota is victorious in all three matchups, the series will be over, and the Wilderness will get to host at least 1 game beginning in the 2nd round of the playoffs. If the series is at two-games-to-one, with either team owning the lead, the remaining contests will be held at Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet beginning April 29.
The only way a third game, scheduled for Sunday, will not be held in Fairbanks is if the Ice Dogs win the first two games. If that occurs, game 3 in the series will be held at Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet on Friday, April 29. Games 4 and 5 (if necessary) would also be played in Cloquet.
Below is a breakdown of the schedule:
- Game 1, in Fairbanks, Friday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. AKDT
- Game 2, in Fairbanks, Saturday, April 23, 7:30 p.m. AKDT
If the series is tied 1-1, or the Wilderness lead 2-0:
- Game 3 will be in Fairbanks, Sunday April 24, 5:00 p.m. AKDT
- Game 4 (if necessary) will be in Cloquet, Friday, April 29 at 7:15 p.m. CDT
- Game 5 (if necessary) will be in Cloquet, Saturday, April 30 at 7:15 p.m. CDT
If Fairbanks wins the first two games of the series:
- Game 3, in Cloquet, Friday, April 29 at 7:15 p.m. CDT
- Game 4 (if necessary), in Cloquet, Saturday, April 30 at 7:15 p.m. CDT
- Game 5 (if necessary), in Cloquet, Sunday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m. CDT