MELBOURNE, Australia – With the finals just over a month away, we thought it was time to look over the contenders who could make the finals for 2016.
Melbourne Ice have been confirmed as the first team to be guaranteed a place in the finals for 2016. They have two players in the top eight for the scoring leaders for the league including Jason Baclig and Joseph Hughes.
The leading goalie for the league is Troy Davenport .931SV%
With seven games left to play before the end of the season for the Ice, there is no guarantee that the team will win on the ice. At this stage of the season there has only been one regulation loss.
But if you force the game to a shoot out then the team has only a 50% chance of winning.
The teams that they are up against are the Mustangs (twice), Brave (twice), Ice Dogs, Thunder and Thunder. It is not an easy road to finish off the season, but PHN does think the Melbourne Ice will have a strong finish to the season and remain at the top of the ladder.
North Stars have only five games to play before the end of the home and away season. They have had an up and down season with seven regulation losses compared to 12 regulation wins.
Before the end of the season they come up against the Bears, Thunder, Adrenaline, Adrenaline and Mustangs.
The advantage for the team and what could be a problem for the opposition is containing Connor McLaughlin; he is the leading point scorer for the league.
The North stars should be there in for the finals and it will all hinge on if they can bring it on the day.
Thunder have a lot of games to play before the end of the season and it is a mixed bag as they are up against Bears, Ice Dogs, Ice Dogs, Ice Dogs, North Stars, Bears, Bears, Bears, Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Ice. 
There is no easy opponent and there is plenty of experience and depth to the team. They should be able to make the top four and play off in the finals. Thunder could easily make it to second spot on the ladder.
Brave are currently in the top four and PHN expects them to stay in the top four. They have Adrenaline, Adrenaline, Bears, Ice, Ice, Adrenaline, Adrenaline and Ice Dogs. One could say that the Brave have the easiest path to the finals. The advantage that the Brave have they have three players that are in the top eight of the points scorers for the league and this could be hard to contain and it will test the defence of the other teams. Brave will be a force when it comes to the finals.
The other teams will want to finish the 2016 season off with some great hockey and if they can be a problem for the final four then they will be. Looking at the final four, the final positions could be as they currently stand with Melbourne Ice, North Stars Thunder, and then Brave. Once it gets to the finals and being knock out finals it will be up to the team on the day. Any of the top four teams could be the victors on the day.
As the finals are a month away the final positions have not been confirmed as yet let the jostling begin.
Look forward to the rest of the season and the finals that will be played at the end of August.
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