While it left fans here in Edmonton disappointed, the Wildcats would like to congratulate our four American Olympians on their gold medal, as well as our lone Canadian silver medalist. With one of those gold medalists, goaltender Jeremy Swayman, unavailable to start this week due to rest and certainly no other reasons, we're giving the net to our other American goalie, Brandon Bussi. Bussi was stellar in our last game before the break, earning four wins and a shutout while stopping 72 of 81 Terrier shots. His next task will be stopping the Gargoyles, as we travel out to the Big Apple to face a struggling New York team looking to stay out of the basement. #WhatTeam #RallyCats

A tough loss last week to the Terriers prevented us from claiming the East Division, but this week gives us another chance, as a win for us and a loss from Toronto will seal the division. We'll keep our focus on what we need to do, as we're on the road against the Seawolves in Seattle. As we're on the road, the standard ivory jerseys are the choice. Featured this week is Arturs Silovs, who has been a force in the net working in tandem with Logan Thompson, and tallying 51 saves, two wins, a shutout with only one goal allowed. Look, I'm not going to pretend to understand how he got two wins and a shutout in a game we lost. #AnotherRound #ShotsOnUs

With two weeks remaining, here's what we know and what's at stake in the AltHL playoffs.
No new teams were eliminated from playoff contention this week. No team has clinched their Conference yet.

However, Milwaukee punched their ticket to the playoffs with their win over Seattle, but with Toronto's win, they were denied the division title.

Chicago had a chance to both clinch a playoff spot, and although they won, they didn't get the losses they needed from other teams. Minnesota was also unable to clinch the division with their loss this past week.

The Northeast division is still wide open, with every team but Boston still able to claim the division title.

This week we could see only one team get eliminated from the playoffs, but it would need quite a bit. First off, in order to be eliminated, Montreal would need a loss at home against Boston. Then they would also need a win by one of Halifax (who is in Toronto this week), Winnipeg (who is on the road against Calgary), Calgary (who, as you should be able to deduce, hosts Winnipeg), and Ottawa (who is hosting Milwaukee). Since two of those teams play, if Montreal loses they would need a tie between Winnipeg and Calgary.

Edmonton or Portland will win the West Conference, but they are currently tied atop the division. They split their season series, so unless one loses, it will come down to points. Edmonton's final two games are at home against Alaska and Calgary, whereas Portland is on the road against Denver and at home against Seattle. However, both teams hold the head to head tiebreaker over the team they're tied with, Minnesota.

Speaking of Minnesota, they can clinch the Central Conference this week. It's pretty straight-forward though. Minnesota is currently two games up with two to play. And this week they're playing in Minnesota. A Minnesota win will give the Loons the conference title. A Chicago win moves everything to the final week of the season where Chicago would need to beat Ottawa on the road and have Minnesota lose to Winnipeg at home to close out the season to give the Ghosts the Central Conference.

The East is in a similar situation as the Central, with Milwaukee currently two games up on Toronto. However, the two teams split the season series. Milwaukee needs a win over the last two weeks against Ottawa on the road this week and at home against Detroit to close the season, or a loss by Toronto at home against Halifax this week or at home against New York in the final week of the season. If Milwaukee does lose out, and Toronto wins out, it would come down to the points, which Milwaukee currently holds a 50.3 point advantage.

Chicago also could clinch a playoff spot this week with a win. They can also get in with a loss, but would need losses by 3 of Halifax, Winnipeg, Calgary and Ottawa.

Toronto could clinch a playoff spot this week with a win AND losses by 3 of Halifax, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Ottawa.

Halifax, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Ottawa are all tied for the final playoff spot, with Halifax currently sitting atop the group thanks to the points tiebreaker. However, things breaking the right way could let three of them in, bumping Chicago and Toronto. On the flip side, things could break the very unlikely, but possible way of Montreal leaping all of them for the final spot (but, again, that does require a Winnipeg-Calgary tie this week)

With a big win last week over the Seawolves where the 48ers led the league in scoring, we're a win (or a Toronto loss) away from clinching the East Conference. However, we're on the road against an Ottawa team that is one back on their own division, and outside the playoffs looking in based on a tiebreaker. So we're gonna have to keep the offense rolling in this one to fend off a very tough set of Guardians. As we are on the road, we're going to be in the standard ivory set. We are going to feature a player that has had a down year this year, struggling to find the net or assist as much as expected... until last week, when Jesper Bratt lit the lamp once himself and supplied four helpers. #AnotherRound #ShotsOnUs

One team clinched their division this past week, as Québec got a win and a Halifax loss. This puts the Owls one game up on Ottawa, but holding a sweep of the season series, so even with an Owls loss to Montreal and Guardian win over Chicago, Québec holds the tiebreaker.

Speaking of Montreal, the Chevaliers were eliminated this week, as they dropped a game and Winnipeg and Ottawa won to ensure the Chevaliers would not get the opportunity to claim another AltHL title.

With Portland's win last week and Edmonton's loss, Portland now controls their destiny in both the division and the top seed for the playoffs. With a Portland win at home against Seattle, they will be the West Conference champions and the top seed in the playoffs. Edmonton would need that Seattle upset and a win at home against rival Calgary to force it to a points tiebreaker that the Wildcats currently have a 170 point advantage on.

Minnesota couldn't claim the division title against Chicago last week, so the Central Conference comes down to the final week. Chicago's win over Minnesota did clinch their playoff spot, but the Ghosts want the conference title. Minnesota hosts Winnipeg, needing a win or Chicago loss to claim the division. However, Chicago swept the season series against the Loons, so the Ghosts need to beat Ottawa on the road and for Winnipeg to beat Minnesota.

The fun part with that is that Ottawa and Winnipeg are currently tied for the final playoff spot. They can both make the playoffs with a win and Toronto loss, but they both could miss the playoffs with losses and Halifax and Calgary wins. However, Ottawa currently has the head-to-head tiebreaker on the Arrows.

The Eastern Conference was not settled last week, as Milwaukee fell to Ottawa and Toronto knocked off Halifax. So it comes down to the final week of the season, as Milwaukee hosts Detroit, and Toronto hosts New York. A 48er win or Terrier loss will give Milwaukee the division, but if Milwaukee loses and Toronto wins, it would comes down to points, which Toronto has a 30.6 point advantage.

Toronto didn't get the losses they needed, and could still miss the playoffs, but it's unlikely. A Toronto win or a loss by either Ottawa or Winnipeg will guarantee their playoff spot, However, wins by the Arrows and Guardians and a loss by the Terriers will make it a three way tie for the final two playoff spots. It would then come to points, where Toronto currently holds a 4.3 point advantage on Winnipeg, and a 231.0 point advantage on the Guardians, so Ottawa is likely out in that situation.

Halifax and Calgary are clinging to their playoff hopes. They need a win and losses by both Winnipeg and Ottawa to force the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot. Halifax is at home against Boston, with Calgary, Winnipeg and Ottawa all facing teams locked into the playoffs and battling for conference titles. As far as points go, Halifax has the most at 2652.2, Winnipeg is only 7 back at 2645.2, Calgary and Ottawa are both significantly back on that, with Calgary at 2433.9 and Ottawa at 2418.5.