How Many Games In Round 1 Of Nhl Playoffs?

How Many Games In Round 1 Of Nhl Playoffs?
The first round of the playoffs is a best-of-seven series.

How the NHL Playoff Format Works

The Stanley Cup is the most coveted trophy in all of professional hockey, and winning it is the ultimate goal for every team in the National Hockey League (NHL). But before any team can even think about hoisting the Stanley Cup, they first have to go through the gauntlet that is the NHL playoffs.

The NHL playoffs are a best-of-seven series between the top eight teams in each conference (Eastern and Western). The teams are seeded based on their regular season record, with the divisional winner getting the top seed and home-ice advantage. The remaining six teams are then seeded based on their records.

The first two rounds of the playoffs (the Conference Quarterfinals and Semifinals) are played within each conference, meaning that there can be no cross-over between East and West. The Conference Finals then determine which team from each conference will advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

The Stanley Cup Final is a best-of-seven series between the conference champions. The team with home-ice advantage for this round is determined by who had the better regular season record.

So, how many games are there in total in the first round of the NHL playoffs? There are a total of 28 games played across seven different series.

How Many Games are Played in Round 1 of the NHL Playoffs?

In the first round of the NHL playoffs, each series is a best-of-seven format. This means that the team with home-ice advantage (higher seed) will host games one, two, five, and seven* while the lower seed will host games three and four. If necessary, games six and seven will be played on the higher seed’s home ice.

Why the Number of Games in Round 1 of the NHL Playoffs Varies

In recent years, the number of games in Round 1 of the NHL playoffs has varied. The explanation for this is that the NHL playoff format changed in 2013. Previously, all first-round playoff series were best-of-seven. However, since 2013, some first-round series have been best-of-five.

The decision to change the format was made in order to reduce the number of first-round Playoff games from 84 to 74. The thinking behind this was that by having some best-of-five series, more second-round series could start earlier (on a Wednesday instead of a Friday). This would allow the NHL to have all four second-round Playoff series starting on the same day, which would create more excitement and buzz around the league.

So why do some first-round playoff series continue to be best-of-seven? The answer is simple: TV rights holders (ie. NBC in the United States) still wanted all first-round Playoff games to be Broadcast nationally. As a result, the NHL had no choice but to accommodate their wishes and keep some first-round Playoff series as best-of-seven.

What Happens if a Playoff Series Goes to Seven Games?

In the Stanley Cup playoffs, if a playoff series is tied 2-2 after four games, then the teams will play a deciding game seven. If a series is tied 3-3 after six games, then the teams will play a deciding game seven. Game sevens are always played on the home ice of the team with the better regular season record.

How Long Does a Round 1 Playoff Series Last?

In the Stanley Cup playoffs, each round is a best-of-seven series. So, in Round 1, each team plays the other team three times at home and three times on the road. If one team wins four games before the other team wins three games, then that team would win the series and move on to Round 2.