USPHL Elite Playoffs: Florida Division Preview
By Jim DenHollander/USPHL.com, 02/28/20, 6:30PM EST
Florida Eels (26-14-2-2) vs. Charleston Colonials (14-27-3-0)
The expansion Colonials achieved a first season goal by reaching the postseason, but they will face a tough challenge beginning against the Florida Eels, who matched their Premier league brethrenas Florida Division regular season champions.
The Eels beat off a challenge from the Tampa Bay Junior who wrapped up second place just three points back while the Colonials ended up six points out of third and six points ahead of fifth.
The previous season saw the Eels finish second, wrapping it up with 60 points, four more than this season.
The Eels and Colonials squared off five times this season, all before the Christmas Break. The Eels won the first four, sweeping sets at home and on the road. The Colonials figured out a way to beat the Eels at the Florida Showcase on Dec. 14.
Tampa Bay Juniors (25-16-3-0) vs. Atlanta Mad Hatters (17-24-2-1)
The Juniors wrapped up the season with three straight wins but couldn’t catch the Eels. The bar could be set high for this team that finished second as well a season ago with 66 points, 13 more than this season.They earned an automatic berth to Nationals and took full advantage, reaching the National Championship game before falling to the Richmond Generals.
The MadHatters are new to the Florida Division, but the Elite squad was competitive all year long.
The two teams met eight times this season with some radically different results. In the first two, at Atlanta Oct 12-13, the teams split, the MadHatters grabbing the first by a 5-2 margin and the Juniors rallying bacon home ice Nov. 23-24. Later, the Mad Hatters got a2-1, 5-4 sweep on home ice Jan. 18-19.
The teams met last weekend to wrap up the season in Tampa, and the home team dominated, taking two wins by a decisive score.
All games in both Florida Division series will be played at the Fort Myers Skatium (second team listed is home team)
Saturday
Charleston Colonials vs. Florida Eels 9 a.m. EST
Atlanta Mad Hatters vs. Tampa Bay Juniors 12 p.m.
Sunday
Atlanta Mad Hatters vs. Tampa Bay Juniors 9 a.m.
Charleston Colonials vs. Florida Eels 12 p.m.
Monday (If necessary)
Charleston Colonials vs. Florida Eels 9 a.m.
Atlanta Mad Hatters vs. Tampa Bay Juniors 12 p.m.
