Over the last week or so, 87.5% has become a figure that many in the hockey community across North American have become all too familiar with.
From 1980-1986, the NHL opened the Stanley Cup playoffs with a best-of-five Preliminary Round or Division Semifinal series, and in those 56 series played, the team was victoious in Game 1 went on to win an astounding 49 times or 87.5%.
With this year’s expanded 24-team postseason, the best-of-five series has made an unexpected return, and after a busy opening weekend, eight teams find themselves staring down long odds of advancing.