2000–01 CHL season

The 2000–01 CHL season was the 9th season of the Central Hockey League (CHL).

Franchise changes

• The Huntsville Channel Cats were renamed the Huntsville Tornado
• The Texarkana, Texas based Border City Bandits were added to the league.  However, the franchise was revoked on February 20, 2001 for not meeting league financial obligations.

Standings

Eastern Division
Team                    GP  W  L OTL  P  GF  GA
x-Memphis RiverKings    70 43 21  6  92 296 236
x-Columbus Cottonmouths 70 41 21  8  90 248 199 
x-Fayetteville Force    70 31 30  9  71 216 243
x-Indianapolis Ice      70 31 32  7  69 239 260
Huntsville Tornado      70 31 36  3  65 217 275
Macon Whoopee           70 23 36 11  57 218 262

Western Division
Team                    GP  W  L OTL  P  GF  GA
x-Oklahoma City Blazers 70 48 19  3  99 273 185
x-San Antonio Iguanas   70 42 21  7  91 288 229
x-Topeka Scarecrows     69 38 23  8  84 256 245
x-Tulsa Oilers          70 36 26  8  80 259 250
Wichita Thunder         70 30 32  8  68 251 251
z-Border City Bandits   51 11 36  4  26 132 283

x-clinched playoff birth
z-operations suspended by league on February 20, 2001

note: league played a partial interlocking schedule with the Western Professional Hockey League

Playoffs

Format

The top four teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds were best-of-five and the finals were best-of-seven

Quarterfinals

• Oklahoma City defeated Tulsa, 3 games to none; 5-2, 3-2 (ot), 3-2
• San Antonio defeated Topeka, 3 games to 1; 2-4, 4-3, 4-3, 5-3
• Columbus defeated Fayetteville, 3 games to 2; 1-3, 6-2, 1-5, 3-2 (ot), 5-2
• Memphis defeated Indianapolis, 3 games to none; 4-3, 4-2, 3-2

Semifinals

• Oklahoma City defeated San Antonio, 3 games to 2; 4-3, 1-4, 3-4 (ot), 5-2, 1-0 (ot)
• Columbus defeated Memphis, 3 games to 1; 3-1, 4-2, 1-3, 2-1

Final

• Oklahoma City defeated Columbus, 4 games to 1; 2-1 (ot), 5-0, 0-2, 2-1 (ot), 4-1