2007–08 PIHA season

The 2008 PIHA season is the 7th 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.

  • The defending Founders Cup champions, the Boston Roller Rats changed their name to the Boston Swamp Rats.
  • The Littleton Fire changed their name to the Lakewood Fire.
  • The Marple Gladiators, who had relocated to Aston, Pennsylvania during the 2007 season, were renamed to the Aston Demolition.
  • The New Jersey Minutemen changed their name to the New Jersey Stampede.
  • The Pikes Peak Prowlers changed their name to the Parker Prowlers.
  • The Richmond Rollin Robins officially shortened their name to the Richmond Robins.
  • The St. Louis Vipers changed their name to the St. Louis Cobras.

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

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Conference standings

*-Denotes 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:

  1. The greater number of games won.
  2. The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs.
  3. 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

Player

Team

GP

G

A

PTS

STAR

PIM

Brian Yingling

Colorado Springs Thunder

32

63

57

120

64

22

CJ Yoder

Colorado Springs Thunder

32

37

70

107

43

24

Josh Laricchia

Phoenix Dragons

24

44

57

101

52

10

Mike Ciolli

Colorado Springs Thunder

32

30

69

99

33

10

Marc Genest

South Carolina Pirates

23

45

48

93

22

45

Darcy Anderson

South Carolina Pirates

21

41

46

87

22

16

John Pinheiro

Connecticut Blaze

31

49

37

86

56

18

Danny Marmorstein

Phoenix Dragons

32

31

52

83

34

20

Brian Fleury

Potomac Mavericks

28

27

49

76

29

10

Kevin Donovan

Potomac Mavericks

30

30

36

66

26

18

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
  1. Connecticut Blaze - Northeast Division and Eastern Conference regular season champion; 58 points
  2. Long Island 495ers - 41 points
  3. Boston Swamp Rats - 36 points
  4. Massachusetts Bombers - 31 points
Atlantic Division
  1. Philadelphia Growl - Atlantic Division champion, 56 points
  2. New Jersey Grizzlies - 52 points
  3. Aston Demolition - 35 points
  4. Feasterville Fury - 33 points
Mason Dixon Division
  1. Harrisburg Lunatics - Mason Dixon Division champion, 54 points
  2. Pittsburgh Bandits - 46 points
  3. Scottdale Inferno - 41 points
  4. Potomac Mavericks - 39 points
Southeast Division *
  1. South Carolina Pirates - Southeast Division champion, 52 points
  2. Richmond Robins - 33 points
  3. York Typhoon - 21 points

Western Conference

Gateway Division
  1. Midwest Tornados - Gateway Division and Western Conference regular season champion; Best Overall Record Trophy winner, 60 points
  2. Chicago Untouchables - 41 points
  3. Southside Snipers - 38 points
  4. St. Louis Cobras - 31 points
Rocky Mountain Division
  1. Colorado Springs Thunder - Rocky Mountain Division champion, 59 points
  2. Westminster Blizzard - 35 points
  3. Lakewood Fire - 31 points
  4. Fort Collins Catz - 30
Southwest Division *
  1. Phoenix Dragons - Southwest Division champion, 52 points
  2. Tucson Desparados - 21 points
Pacific Division
  1. San Jose Pirates - Pacific Division champion, 54 points
  2. Northern California Mustangs - 40 points
  3. 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.

See also

  • 2008 PIHA Prospects Draft
  • 2008 PIHA transactions
  • List of current PIHA team rosters