How is the playoff format decided.... 2-2-1-1 or 232

[KOCUR26 0]

man in the old days it was always 2 here 2 there then back and forth..... then wasnt it 2 3 2? now its back to 2-2-1-1 is that decided by the team with the better record? man, I knew this at one time.... thanks

[wingsfan979802 0]

man in the old days it was always 2 here 2 there then back and forth..... then wasnt it 2 3 2? now its back to 2-2-1-1 is that decided by the team with the better record? man, I knew this at one time.... thanks

2-2-1-1-1

Edited April 16, 2007 by wingsfan979802

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

2-2-1-1-1

The higher seeded team gets the the First two, fith and seventh games at home.

[Must Kill 0]

i say keep the 2-2-1-1-1

i dont really see 2-3-2 being that fair

cause if you drop one home game in the first two games then the favor goes back to the underseeded team with 3 straight home home for them, and a chance to end before the top seeded teams gets to go back home.

[KOCUR26 0]

I understand the 2 formats...... how do they choose which one they use?

[Icteria virens 11]

man in the old days it was always 2 here 2 there then back and forth..... then wasnt it 2 3 2? now its back to 2-2-1-1 is that decided by the team with the better record? man, I knew this at one time.... thanks

I don't ever remember it being 2-3-2, do you remember for sure. I know basketball has that, of course I think basketball also has 5 games for the first round

[joshy207 156]

The NHL used 2-3-2 at one point in the early/mid 90s. When Detroit lost to San Jose, it was 2-3-2. They wanted to cut down on the amount of travel if the teams were far apart. It was an option for a couple years, but for at least the last 11-12 years, it's been 2-2-1-1-1.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

The NBA used to open with a five game series in the first round until a few years ago they switched it to a seven game series. The NBA also uses the 2-2-1-1-1 format, until the Finals when they switch to the 2-3-2. The Pistons were the first team ever in 2004 to win all three of the middle home games.

[toby91_ca 620]

1993-94 - The NHL's playoff draw was conference-based rather than division-based. At the conclusion of the regular season, the top eight teams in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences qualified for the playoffs. The teams that finish in first place in each of the League's divisions were seeded first and second in each conference's playoff draw and were assured of home ice advantage in the first two playoff rounds.

The remaining teams were seeded based on their regular-season point totals. In each conference, the team seeded #1 played #8; #2 vs. #7; #3 vs. #6; and #4 vs. #5. All series were best-of-seven with home ice rotating on a 2-2-1-1-1 basis, with the exception of matchups between Central and Pacific Division teams. These matchups were played on a 2-3-2 basis to reduce travel. In a 2-3-2 series, the team with the most points could choose to start the series at home or on the road. The Eastern Conference champion faced the Western Conference champion in the Cup Final.

1994-95 - Same as 1993-94, except that in first, second or third-round playoff series involving Central and Pacific Division teams, the team with the better record had the choice of using either a 2-3-2 or a 2-2-1-1-1 format. When a 2-3-2 format was selected, the higher-ranked team also had the choice of playing games 1, 2, 6 and 7 at home or playing games 3, 4 and 5 at home. The format for the Stanley Cup Final remained 2-2-1-1-1.

1998-99 - The NHL's clubs were re-aligned into two conferences each consisting of three divisions. The number of teams qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs remained unchanged at 16.

First-round playoff berths were awarded to the first-place team in each division as well as to the next five best teams based on regular-season point totals in each conference. The three division winners in each conference were seeded first through third for the playoffs and the next five best teams, in order of points, were seeded fourth through eighth. In each conference, the team seeded #1 played #8; #2 vs. #7; #3 vs. #6; and #4 vs. #5 in the quarterfinal round. Home-ice in the Conference Quarterfinals was granted to those teams seeded first through fourth in each conference.

In the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals, teams were re-seeded according to the same criteria as the Conference Quarterfinals. Higher seeded teams gained home-ice advantage.

Home-ice advantage for the Stanley Cup Finals to be determined by points.

All series remain best-of-seven.