The regular season is done. Now it’s Playoff hockey.

The Scottish National League Playoffs quarter-finals get underway this weekend, with all ties decided over two legs on aggregate score. Each matchup will be played home and away, with the combined total across both games determining who progresses to the semi-finals.

Paisley Pirates face Kirkcaldy Kestrels across a full double-header this weekend. The Pirates won all of their league meetings between the sides, but both teams finished in the middle of the table and this one is far from straightforward. The Kestrels are a well-drilled side capable of setting the tone, and across two games it has the feel of a physical, hard-fought tie.

Whitley Warriors and Aberdeen Lynx meet across a full double-header this weekend. While the Warriors have had the edge this season, Aberdeen showed in the first leg of the Scottish Cup — where they led for much of the game — that they can put themselves in control. Doing that across two games is the test.

Elsewhere, Edinburgh Capitals host North Ayrshire Wild in the first leg of their tie, with the return fixture next weekend completing the aggregate. North Ayrshire face a tough opening test against the league winners.

Dundee Rockets and Solway Sharks SNL will contest their quarter-final next weekend, with both legs played across the same weekend to decide the tie.

The matchups are set by the final standings, top against bottom, so there is context to how these ties have been formed. But once play gets underway, that counts for little. Over two legs, it comes down to execution.

Seedings will still have a bearing beyond this round, with the semi-final draw following league positions, but first teams have to get there.

For Pirates, Kestrels, Warriors and Lynx, there is no time to settle into the tie. Two games across the weekend, one aggregate score, and a place in the semi-finals decided quickly.

For Capitals and Wild, the opening leg is about setting the position ahead of next weekend, while Rockets and Solway will approach theirs as a condensed tie when they meet.

Across all four matchups, it is about delivering across the full 120 minutes. Managing the moments and backing that up over two games.

The four winners will move on to Finals Weekend on April 18th and 19th at Dundee Ice Arena — the last opportunity this season to compete for silverware.

It starts this weekend.