I’m at Reading’s Sovereign Center for an East Coast Hockey League playoff game between the hometown Royals and those Elmira Jackals. We’re here because a local kid, John Murray, is a backup goaltender for the Royals.
In terms of alignment and playoff format, this is the goofiest league I’ve ever seen, in any sport.
There are four divisions- one with nine teams, one with seven, one with four, and one with five. Twenty-one of the league’s 25 teams make the playoffs. Some of the playoff series currently under way are best-of-seven, some best-of-five and a couple even best-of-three.
It’s called the East Coast league, but there are teams in California, Idaho, Utah, Las Vegas, British Columbia and, uh, Alaska.
Everyone’s having fun, though, and that’s all that matters.
