Playoff Picture Tightens as Final Week Looms in Catamount League
With just one week remaining in the regular season, the Catamount Senior Elite Hockey League is heading toward a playoff race filled with drama, momentum swings, and must-watch matchups. At the top, it’s business as usual.
Slugs Clinch the Throne
The Stowe Slugs have officially locked up the #1 seed with a dominant 30-point season (15-1-0). With a first-round bye secured, the Slugs now sit back and wait to see who survives the chaos below them.
Battle for Position: Seeds 2–4 Still in Play
While the Slugs are cruising, the rest of the bracket is anything but settled.
The Essex Eagles (19 pts) currently hold the #2 spot, but a massive showdown against the Buckshots (17 pts) in the final week could flip the standings.
Right behind them, the Chiefs (15 pts) are heating up at the perfect time. A win in their final game combined with a Buckshots loss could create a tie for third place, opening the door for a potential shake-up in playoff seeding.
The difference between finishing 3rd and 4th?A completely different first-round matchup.
Chiefs vs Chazy: A First-Round Preview?
As things stand, the Chiefs and Chazy are lined up for a 4 vs 5 showdown in the opening round.
Chazy, now sitting at 5-6-1, has quietly stayed in the hunt despite an up-and-down season. But with a .458 win percentage, they’ll need to bring their best against a Chiefs team that has found its stride late in the year.
If these two meet in the playoffs, expect a battle.
Locked In… Almost
At the bottom of the standings, the picture is much clearer:
Hogs (8 pts) and Chaos (4 pts) are expected to round out the playoff field
Their first-round matchups are likely set against higher seeds, making them underdogs heading into postseason play
But in beer league hockey… anything can happen.
Projected Playoff Format
The Catamount League playoff format sets up for chaos:
As of now, that would look like:
Slugs — bye
Eagles vs Chaos
Buckshots vs Hogs
Chiefs vs Chazy
Final Week Storylines
Everything comes down to one last slate of games:
Eagles vs Buckshots — battle for playoff positioning
Chiefs looking to climb — can they steal the 3 seed?
Slugs vs Chiefs — potential statement game before playoffs
The Takeaway
The Slugs may have already claimed the top spot, but the road to the championship is wide open.
With rivalries heating up and seeding still in flux, the final week of the season isn’t just about standings — it’s about momentum.
And in this league, momentum is everything.
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