NEWS

Link to view the AIHL FINALS

For the third time in five years (every other year) Las Vegas, Nevada will be the home for the AAU - American Inline Hockey League National Finals.  On Friday, May 19 the twelve remaining teams from across the USA will suit up at the Las Vegas Roller Hockey Center. Players and coaches will assemble in Vegas on Thursday and ready themselves to play a seeding round on Friday.  Each team will play three “minigames,” consisting of two 10 minute periods against each of the three teams in their bracket to determine matchups.  At the end of the day teams will be seeded, and on Saturday the top seed will play the fourth seed, and two will play three in a best of three match-up. Saturday’s survivors will play Sunday’s final round, again a best of three to determine the champion. 

AAU National Hockey Chair, Keith Noll recently stated, “The Men's AIHL Finals that will be held in Las Vegas May 18-21 for the Final Four teams in three divisions will be an exciting time for these athletes". Noll went on to state, “ the AIHL has come a long ways since the Pittsburgh Bandits won the Inaugural AIHL Championship in 2007-08 to the upcoming 2017-18 season which will add Canada and Florida”

Players and coaches from Arizona, California, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island will be competing for the National Titles given to the Elite, Minor Tier I and II. The  New Jersey Alliance and Delco Demons will represent East in the Elite bracket, Philadelphia Liberty Blue and New England Insanity emerged from the Minor Tier I regional playoffs, and the Philadelphia Liberty Red and Long Island Fire Ants are the Minor Tier II representatives. 

From the Pacific South the Las Vegas Aces clinched a bye to the finals with their first place finish in the Elite division.  The Arizona Outcasts will accompany them. The Mavin Outlaws will represent Minor Tier I.  The Las Vegas Aces clinched the Minor Tier II berth. The Pacific North is a minor only division, they send Revision Revolution to Tier I and Marina Mantas to Tier II finals. 

New England Insanity coach John Ryder, whose team has been to Vegas twice previously observed “It’s a great chance to see some of the best players in the country.   No disrespect to the tournament format, but there is more emphasis on the team/league format in the East, and I’m always curious about how our ice-hockey influenced players stack up against other competition.”

AIHL Commissioner, Jeffrey Haze commented, " we are very pleased to announce the AIHL will be Live Steaming the games from Las Vegas” check out the AIHL Website for the game action and more starting on the 19th. http://www.aihlhockey.pointstreaksites.com/view/aihlhockey