Great Lakes Playoffs Taking Shape, Lakers Eliminated

The Great Lakes Junior C playoff are just around the corner with no team having more than 5 games remaining in the regular season. For one Chatham-Kent team however, the Wallaceburg Lakers, the start of playoffs will mark the end of their 2011-2012 campaign as they are now mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

Unfortunately for Wallaceburg, the Great Lakes league no longer advances the top 8 teams in the standings to the playoffs, rather all 4 South Division teams receive an automatic berth, while one North Division team is eliminated. Sitting at 14 points behind Dresden, with only 5 games remaining in their season, the Wallaceburg Lakers are out.

Blenheim currently sits atop the North Division, but are only 1 point behind both the Mooretown Flags and Alvinston Flyers. Blenheim faces Wallaceburg twice next week, before closing out the season against Wheatley and Belle River.

The Wheatley Sharks are facing a possible rematch with the Belle River Canadiens this playoff season, as they currently sit third in the South Division with 45 points.

As they often are, the Essex 73s will enter the postseason as favourites to win it all. Essex currently has only 6 losses and lead the league with 57 points, 6 ahead of second place Belle River.

Playoffs will get underway in mid-February.