USHL Announces Structure Of 2025 Clark Cup Playoffs

The USHL regular season is winding down, which means the Clark Cup Playoffs are just around the corner.

On Wednesday, the league announced the format of the 2024-25 Clark Cup Playoffs. This year’s post-season will feature 12 teams, six from each of the Eastern and Western Conferences, and play will begin Monday, Apr. 14.

The Clark Cup Playoffs open with a three-game first round series between the #3 and #6 seeds and #4 and #5 seeds from each conference. All three games will be played at the higher seed’s home location on three consecutive nights.

Following the first round, the winner of the #3 vs. #6 series will automatically play the #2 seed from their conference while the winner of the #4 vs. #5 series will automatically play the #1 seeds in the conference semifinals. The semifinals are best-of-five game series with a 2-2-1 format with games 1, 2 and 5 played at the higher seed.

The winners of the conference semifinals matchups will face off in a best-of-five conference final. The format of the Conference Final will be 2-2-1 with games 1, 2 and 5 at the higher seed.

The Eastern and Western Conference Champions will meet for the Clark Cup Final, a best-of-five series played in the 2-2-1 format with the higher seed hosting games 1, 2 and 5.

2024-25 Clark Cup Playoffs Dates

*Exact game dates dependent on building availability*

First Round (Best of 3 Series): April 14-17

Conference Semifinals (Best of 5 Series): April 18-25

Conference Finals (Best of 5 Series): April 26-May 8

Clark Cup Final (Best of 5 Series): May 9-21

Playoff seedings are determined by regular season points with the following tiebreakers in play (if needed)

a) ROW (regulation + overtime wins)

b) Head-to-head record

c) Most wins in league competition (including shootout wins)

d) Least losses in league competition

e) Greater overall goal differential

f) Greater head-to-head goal differential

g) Game played at neutral site OR coin flip