Playoff positioning taking shape; Wednesday game will determine order of final two spots and semifinal pairings

Brandon Miller and the Six Nations Chiefs assured themselves of a post-season berth when they downed the Rock 8-7
in Oakville Monday night. The Chiefs will now face the KW Kodiaks for third Wednesday. (Photo: Darryl Smart)

The Six Nations Chiefs pulled out an 8-7 win Monday night over the Oakville Rock. As a result, the Chiefs are in the playoffs and the Rock are out of them. With Brooklin having clinched first and Peterborough locked into second, the only thing to be determined is who will finish third and who will take fourth. That will be decided Wednesday night when the Chiefs face the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks. Both teams currently sit at 9-8, so the winner will take third place and face the Lakers in the semifinals. The loser will finish fourth and face the Redmen in the semis. If they happen to tie, KW will earn third place based on a better record between the two teams this season.

Oakville led 3-1 after the first period Monday at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre and were up 5-2 past the midway point of the second. Then the Chiefs went on a four-goal run to take the lead for the first time in the game. Danny Lomas' second goal of the game for Oakville evened things up at 6-6 heading into the final 20 minutes. The Rock kept the momentum going when they got the first goal of the third, from Mike Mawdsley just 53 seconds in. That would prove to be their last goal of the night, though, as Brandon Miller shut the door from there out.


Kasey Beirnes second of the night at 3:16 tied it 7-7 then neither team could score for almost 10 minutes. When someone finally struck, it was Jeff Shattler on the power play for Six Nations, taking a pass in the low shooter spot and ripping a sidearm shot just inside the far post.

The Chiefs are at home to KW Wednesday with third place on the line. Oakville will finish their schedule the same evening in Whitby facing the Brooklin Redmen. Thursday night is the last regular-season game of 2014 when the Peterborough Lakers travel to Century Gardens in Brampton to face the Excelsiors.