Stanley Cup Playoffs
originally aired on ABC
The Stanley Cup playoffs are the annual elimination tournament to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, and the league champion of the National Hockey League (NHL) The four-round, best-of-seven tournament is held after the NHL's regular season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season points totals. The NHL is the only one of the big four major leagues in Canada and the United States to refer to its playoffs by the name of its championship trophy.