The SPRING 2003 playoffs will culminate the most competitive regular season in Hockey Long Island history. All divisions saw hotly contested races for playoff seeds and spots right down to the final weekend of the season. Such close races bode for a compelling postseason. Below we provide a preview for the C League. This preview is only intended for discussion fodder and entertainment value. Good luck to all in their ‘Run to the Long Island Cup’.

In the biggest, and potentially, most unpredictable bracket, the RATS emerged as the regular season champion and with it the lone bye into the double elimination round. The Rats play steady, consistent hockey and possess the most important element for a playoff title run - stonewall goaltending. Nearly half their wins came in shutouts or one goal games. Additionally with a stingy defense the Rats will win the low-scoring, close ones. The hottest team heading into the postseason (in any division) is the white-hot LI-DRAGONS. Riding an eight game winning streak they enter the playoffs as a runaway freight train. They can score in field goals and have a past playoff MVP between the pipes. Finishing third in just their first campaign are the upstart BETHPAGE FD. Bethpage bolted out the gate with 7 wins and looked ready to run away. They have both a title worthy offense and defense. A late season mini-slump reeled them back and they are untested heading into HLI's long postseason. Settled in fourth, PLT endured an up-and-down regular season. They have the offense guns but are vulnerable. They are capable of blowing teams out but are equally capable of losing to those same teams. Placing a well earned fifth are the scrappy NAPPER TANDYS. No team maximizes their roster as Napper Tandys does. They will depend on their defense and always stellar goaltending to backbone their title run. Surviving a perplexing, uneven slate the MUSTANGS limp into the playoffs. While they don't appear focused on a run to the crown they do possess a champions' wherewithall. It's best to get them early or watch out. Rounding out the bracket are the improbable RAGE. The Rage sqaud was dusting off the sticks when some unlikely help down the stretch position them to play their way in. Can they, however, capitalize on the governor's pardon?