Mike McRae.
The Southern Stampede has already clinched its spot in the national league finals, but who will join it? Sports reporter Robert van Royen takes a look where each team is placed with just three weeks left in the regular season.

 

Stampede

Goals scored: 79.

Goals against: 37.

Leading goals: Matt Schneider 15, Jade Portwood 13.

Leading assists: Mike McRae 23, Lucas Frey 21.

Paris Heyd.
Still to play:

Admirals in Queenstown, Thunder in Dunedin.

Best-case scenario: Can clinch home advantage in the best-of-three finals series if it wins two of its final four games against the Admirals and Thunder.

Worst-case scenario: Will lose home advantage in the finals if it finishes with four losses and the Red Devils finish with three or four wins.

 

Red Devils

Goals scored: 63.

Goals against: 46.

Leading goals: Dean Tonks 15, Chris Eaden 12.

Leading assists: Antti Ojanen 13, Eaden 12.

Still to play: Swarm in Christchurch, Thunder in Christchurch.

Best-case scenario: Can claim home advantage in the finals with three wins from the final four games, but would also need the Stampede to drop its final four games.

Worst-case scenario: Will miss out on a finals spot if it finishes with four losses and the Thunder wins at least five of its last six games.

 

Thunder

Goals scored: 40.

Goals against: 56.

Leading goals: Paris Heyd 6, Matthew Enright 6.

Leading assists: Heyd 13, Arthur Cocar 6.

Still to play: Swarm in Auckland, Stampede in Dunedin, Red Devils in Christchurch.

Best-case scenario: Can sneak into the finals for a third straight year with five or six wins to finish the season. But will need the Red Devils to drop their final four games.

Worst-case scenario: Losing its final six games and getting surpassed by the Admirals and Swarm to finish with the wooden spoon.

 

Admirals

Goals scored: 51.

Goals against: 74.

Leading goals: Tom Tracy 18, Braden Smith 8.

Leading assists: Tracy 12, Smith 12.

Still to play: Stampede in Queenstown, Swarm in Auckland.

Best-case scenario: Cannot make the playoffs but have a good chance of finishing third with four wins down the stretch.

Worst-case scenario: Wooden spoon.

 

Swarm

Goals scored: 40.

Goals against: 60.

Leading goals: Andrew Hamburg 6, Brandon Contratto 5.

Leading assists: Hamburg 21, Contratto 12.

Still to play: Dunedin in Auckland, Red Devils in Christchurch, Admirals in Auckland.

Best-case scenario: Could finish third with six wins from its remaining games.

Worst-case scenario: Wooden spoon.