Let’s be real. The extended playoff format and a best-of-three series is a lottery, and winning the first game is almost everything. Of the 14 series played since the American Hockey League opted to introduce this format, 13 teams who won the first game progressed to the second round. One bad call or odd bounce could bump you out of the post-season before you know it.
Head-to-Head
These teams met 10 times during the regular season but only twice in the last two months. The season series was split equally, with seven games decided by a single goal.