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SEPTEMBER 6, I973 TERRACE BAY NEWS PAGE 9 SPORTS SLANTS - By Ray Shank In case you don't understand that new play- off setup-the NHL announced last week =-- eff- ective 1974-75 =-- it might be an idea to ex- plain it in part of this column. First, I'll list last year's final NHL standings, with team and points in each divi- sion, then it'll be easier to explain. East: I. Montreal-I20; 2. Boston-107; 3. N.Y. Rangers-I02; 4. Buffalo-88; 5. Detroit- 86; 6. Toronto-64; 7. Vancouver-53; 8. N.Y. Islanders-30. West: I. Chicago=93; 2. Philadelphia-85; 3. Minnesota-85; 4. St. Louis-76; 5. Pittsbur- gh-73; 6. Los Angeles-73; 7. Atlanta-65; 8. California-48. Now, if the NHL had decided to have this proposed new playoff system for the 1972-73 season, .and, say, the top six teams would have -made the playoffs, five teams from the east division would have made it, and only one from the west ... Chicago ... since five of the teams in the east had more points than the second place squad in the west. By I974-75 (next season), the NHL will have I8 teams, with the addition of Washington and Kansas City. At that time, the league will be divided into four divisions. And I2 teams will qual- ify for the playoffs. But a team finishing in second place in any one division won't nec- essarily qualify for a playoff berth. Only one team from each of the four divis- ions will automatically qualify for the play- offs == the divisional winner. And each one of those four teams will qualify for the quar- ter-finals. The other eight contending teams will qual- ify by total points. Division I teams will be: N.Y. Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Atlanta Flames, N.Y. Islanders. Division II: Montreal, Detroit, Pittsbur- gh, Los Angeles and Washington. Division III: Boston, Buffalo, California, and Toronto. Division IV: Chicago, trnasotas Kansas City St. Louis and Vancouver. Let's say Montreal, the Rangers, Baston and Chicago finish first in their respective divi- sions-=-which, by the way, is very likely. : Those four teams automatically draw a bye into the quarter-finals. The other eight teams will qualify accord- ing to the number of points they accunulated during the regular season. The fifth-highest team in the final-standing points column will meet the I2th-highest, the sixth-highest will face the IIth-highest, the seventh will play the IOth and the eighth will play the ninth. Those playoffs will be two-of-three series. That will leave eight teams to battle it out in the quarter-finals, and, unfortunately, it hasn't yet been explained just how that will work. One thing about the new playoff system, though ... only the better teams will make it and the competition, come playoff time, should be exciting to watch. Don't know whether you realize it, but if continued page I0 .....se- STRAND THEATRE TERRACE BAY, ONTARIO (former Roxy Theatre) PHONE 825-3771 Thu. 6 Fri. 7 Sat. 8 THE YOUNG GRADUATE (RESTRICTED) NOTE: "DELIVERANCE" TO BE SHOWN AT A LATER DATE mon. 10 roe. 11 Wed. 12 Thu. 13 Fri. 14 sar. 15 ® Joseph E. Levine presents a Mike Nichols Film starring Jack Nicholson + Candice Bergen "¢Camal Knowledge' is one of the best movies ever." =Liz Smith, Cosmopolitan Magazine Mike Nichols, Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen, Arthur Garfunkel, Ann and Jules Feiffer. Mike Nichols + An Avco Embassy Release ut 1216s - uuy + [@NUNpeD JNYLY S AQ PaldAN(Q PUB PAONPOIJ + AUIAST 3 ydasor JAdNPOIY AANNDAXT - aBPajmouy jeuseD, ERNEST BORGNINE 20th Century Fox presents 'THE POSEIDON ER ue HACKMAN - ERNEST BORGNINE -RED BUTTONS CAROL LYNLEY - RODDY McDOWALL -- STELLA ST SHELLEY o-stamng JACK ALBERTSON PAMELA SUE MARTIN - ARTHUR O'CONNELL - ERIC Fi and LESUE NIELSEN as The Captain - a RONALD NEAME fim