The 2008 PIHA season is the seventh season of the Professional Inline Hockey Association. It began on December 1, 2007, and will run through April 27, 2008. The Founders Cup Playoffs ended on June 15, with the Phoenix Dragons taking the championship by defeating the Connecticut Blaze four games to two.
League business
This season is the first for 18 expansion teams; the Arizona Strike, Chicago Untouchables, East Bay Jawz, El Paso Black Diamonds, Long Island 495ers, Marple Gladiators, Maryland Knights, N.E. Philadelphia Revolution, Northern California Mustangs, Phoenix Dragons, Potomac Mavericks, Raleigh Assault, Sacramento Saxons, San Jose Pirates, Savannah Stingers (moved to Williamsburg,VA midseason and were renamed Williamsburg Stingers), South Carolina Pirates, Tucson Desperados, and Winchester Generals.
Ryan Grant of the defending champion Boston Swamp Rats scored the first goal of the season against the N.E. Philadelphia Revolution on December 1 in Holbrook, Massachusetts.
Final Regular Season Standings
GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime/Shootout Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PTS = Points.
Divisional standings
Southeast Division |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
GF |
GA |
PTS |
y-South Carolina Pirates | 32 | 25 | 5 | 2 | 179 | 74 | 52 |
e-Raleigh Assault | 32 | 21 | 11 | 0 | 130 | 113 | 42 |
x-Richmond Robins | 32 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 123 | 106 | 33 |
x-York Typhoon | 32 | 10 | 21 | 1 | 89 | 167 | 21 |
e-Williamsburg Stingers | 32 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 39 | 193 | 2 |
Southwest Division |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
GF |
GA |
PTS |
y-Phoenix Dragons | 32 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 185 | 122 | 52 |
e-Arizona Strike | 30 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 121 | 103 | 38 |
x-Tucson Desparados | 30 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 105 | 148 | 21 |
e-El Paso Black Diamonds | 32 | 9 | 20 | 3 | 95 | 133 | 21 |
Conference standings
*-Denotes Division Leader
x - clinched playoff spot, y - clinched division title, b - clinched Best Overall Record, z - clinched best conference record, e - eliminated from playoff contention, * - division leader
x - clinched playoff spot, y - clinched division title, b - clinched Best Overall Record, z - clinched best conference record, e - eliminated from playoff contention, * - division leader
Tiebreaking Procedures
Where two or more clubs are tied in points at the end of the regular season, the standing of the clubs is determined in the following order:
- The greater number of games won.
- The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs.
- The greater differential between goals for and against.
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; PTS = Points; STAR = Star Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes
As of April 28
Founders Cup playoffs
Playoff seeds
After the 2008 PIHA regular season, 27 teams qualified for the playoffs, 14 from the Eastern Conference and 13 from the Western Conference.
Eastern Conference
Northeast Division
- Connecticut Blaze - Northeast Division and Eastern Conference regular season champion; 58 points
- Long Island 495ers - 41 points
- Boston Swamp Rats - 36 points
- Massachusetts Bombers - 31 points
Atlantic Division
- Philadelphia Growl - Atlantic Division champion, 56 points
- New Jersey Grizzlies - 52 points
- Aston Demolition - 35 points
- Feasterville Fury - 33 points
Mason Dixon Division
- Harrisburg Lunatics - Mason Dixon Division champion, 54 points
- Pittsburgh Bandits - 46 points
- Scottdale Inferno - 41 points
- Potomac Mavericks - 39 points
Southeast Division *
- South Carolina Pirates - Southeast Division champion, 52 points
- Richmond Robins - 33 points
- York Typhoon - 21 points
Western Conference
Gateway Division
- Midwest Tornados - Gateway Division and Western Conference regular season champion; Best Overall Record Trophy winner, 60 points
- Chicago Untouchables - 41 points
- Southside Snipers - 38 points
- St. Louis Cobras - 31 points
Rocky Mountain Division
- Colorado Springs Thunder - Rocky Mountain Division champion, 59 points
- Westminster Blizzard - 35 points
- Lakewood Fire - 31 points
- Fort Collins Catz - 30
Southwest Division *
- Phoenix Dragons - Southwest Division champion, 52 points
- Tucson Desparados - 21 points
Pacific Division
- San Jose Pirates - Pacific Division champion, 54 points
- Northern California Mustangs - 40 points
- East Bay Jawz - 26 points
* The Southeast Division was to have four teams qualify for the playoffs, but the Raleigh Assault were removed before playoffs began.
* The Southwest Division was to have three teams qualify for the playoffs, but the Arizona Strike were removed before playoffs began.
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Division Semifinals |
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Division Finals |
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Conference Semifinals |
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Conference Finals |
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Founders Cup Finals |
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1 |
Connecticut Blaze |
2 |
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4 |
Massachusetts Bombers |
0 |
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1 |
Connecticut Blaze |
2 |
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Northeast Division |
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2 |
Long Island 495ers |
1 |
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2 |
Long Island 495ers |
2 |
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3 |
Boston Swamp Rats |
1 |
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NE1 |
Connecticut Blaze |
2 |
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SE1 |
South Carolina Pirates |
0 |
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1 |
Philadelphia Growl |
2 |
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4 |
Feasterville Fury |
0 |
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1 |
Philadelphia Growl |
2 |
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Atlantic Division |
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2 |
New Jersey Grizzlies |
0 |
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2 |
New Jersey Grizzlies |
2 |
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3 |
Aston Demolition |
0 |
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NE1 |
Connecticut Blaze |
3 |
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Eastern Conference |
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A1 |
Philadelphia Growl |
2 |
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1 |
Harrisburg Lunatics |
2 |
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4 |
Potomac Mavericks |
0 |
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1 |
Harrisburg Lunatics |
2 |
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Mason Dixon Division |
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2 |
Pittsburgh Bandits |
1 |
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2 |
Pittsburgh Bandits |
2 |
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3 |
Scottdale Inferno |
1 |
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A1 |
Philadelphia Growl |
2 |
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MD1 |
Harrisburg Lunatics |
0 |
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1 |
South Carolina Pirates |
2 |
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Southeast Division |
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2 |
Richmond Robins |
0 |
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2 |
Richmond Robins |
2 |
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3 |
York Typhoon |
1 |
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NE1 |
Connecticut Blaze |
2 |
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SW1 |
Phoenix Dragons |
4 |
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1 |
Midwest Tornados |
2 |
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4 |
St. Louis Cobras |
0 |
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1 |
Midwest Tornados |
1 |
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Gateway Division |
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3 |
Southside Snipers |
2 |
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2 |
Chicago Untouchables |
0 |
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3 |
Southside Snipers |
2 |
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RM1 |
Colorado Springs Thunder |
1 |
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G3 |
Southside Snipers |
2 |
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1 |
Colorado Springs Thunder |
2 |
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4 |
Fort Collins Catz |
0 |
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1 |
Colorado Springs Thunder |
2 |
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Rocky Mountain Division |
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2 |
Westminster Blizzard |
1 |
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2 |
Westminster Blizzard |
2 |
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3 |
Lakewood Fire |
0 |
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G3 |
Southside Snipers |
1 |
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Western Conference |
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SW1 |
Phoenix Dragons |
3 |
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1 |
Phoenix Dragons |
2 |
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Southwest Division |
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2 |
Tucson Desparados |
0 |
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SW1 |
Phoenix Dragons |
2 |
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P1 |
Northern California Mustangs |
1 |
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1 |
San Jose Pirates |
0 |
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Pacific Division |
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2 |
Northern California Mustangs |
2 |
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2 |
Northern California Mustangs |
2 |
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3 |
East Bay Jawz |
0 |
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See also
- 2008 PIHA Prospects Draft
- 2008 PIHA transactions
- List of current PIHA team rosters