Playoff atmosphere tonight?

The Southern Professional Hockey League playoffs won't begin until next week, but don't try and convince Richmond coach Brian Goudie.

In all likelihood, Richmond will meet Fayetteville in the first round, which will be a best-of-three affair. It will either start in Fayetteville on March 28, or at the Coliseum on March 29, depending on which team has home ice.

The third-place Renegades (26-20-3, 55 points) are one point ahead of the FireAntz (23-18-8, 54) with three games left. The teams open a home-and-home series at the Coliseum tonight (7:35) that will go a long way in determining who earns the home-ice edge.

"If you look at it, it's pretty much the first round of the playoffs," Goudie said yesterday. "It's going to be like a best of five. We play them home and home, then we play them best of three. It's in our hands for sure. We have to split with them and win our last game. That will guarantee us third place."

If the teams finish with the same number of points, Richmond has the first tiebreaker (wins), even though the Renegades have dropped six of 10 to Fayetteville.

A year ago, the Renegades finished fifth and lost in the opening round to Knoxville, which had the home-ice advantage.

"You'd rather play in your own rink," said forward Andre Gill. "We're a much better team at home than we are on the road. We're pretty good on the road, but everybody wants to play at home. It's a big advantage, travel-wise. You'd rather be in front of your home crowd. It's home and you're used to it."

Goudie's pact extended

The Renegades announced on Monday that Goudie has signed a two-year contract extension that runs through the 2009-10 season. In addition, he will add the title of director of hockey operations.

This is Goudie's first year in charge of the club, which is completing its second year in the SPHL. The former defenseman succeeded John Brophy, who was fired shortly after last season ended.

"It feels good," said Goudie, whose current contract was up at the end of the season. "I played most of my career in Richmond, and to be able to keep my career going here as a coach is a great feeling . . . just to keep my dream alive of staying in hockey.

"We have a great foundation here, and the Renegades will be a team to look out for in the future. I'm very happy about it."

Price out for two weeks

Newcomer Jason Price, who joined the club on March 6 after being waived by Columbus, suffered a broken finger when he was hit by a puck late in Friday's game against Knoxville and will miss at least the next two weeks, Goudie said. Price, who has two assists in three games, missed Saturday's game in Winston-Salem, N.C., against Twin City.

Goudie said he wasn't sure if Price will be replaced. -- John Packett