There are many sports events throughout the year, but during this time, the NBA and NHL playoffs capture the most attention, with fans wondering whether their team has made it or not. The NBA playoffs include a play-in tournament to determine the final playoff spots, and the remaining matchups are best-of-seven series. The NHL playoff format has some similarities to the NBA’s, but also notable differences. For instance, the NHL features 16 teams instead of 8, and includes two wild-card teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Like the NBA, the NHL also uses best-of-seven series for all rounds.

“I feel like it’s been working. It gives the team more chances. Instead of playing one game, that team could play badly, you do seven games in the first playoff round, which gives teams more time to practice and know their opponents,” freshman Jackson Wray said

In the format, there are certain rules in the playoffs that die hard hockey fans do not like. For example, overtime in playoff hockey is 20 minute sudden-death periods until a team scores and no shootouts in the playoffs. Players want the NHL commissioner to change how the playoff overtime games are played. 

Wray’s thoughts on the overtime situation in sports highlight a common frustration with how hockey games can drag on.

“Maybe when you go into overtime, and then you are able to go into overtime, and then you get past overtime, they just keep doing overtime or shootout, something. They do both. But I’d rather see probably overtime and then to shoot out, a shootout’s kind of just the skill competition,” Wray said

The NBA playoff format is widely appreciated by fans, with many finding the intensity of the series captivating. 

“There are a lot of exciting matchups going on currently, and I think it’s just a good way for the NBA to make their fans see how the games are going,” freshman Milo Smith said

However, like the NHL, the NBA also has its share of fan concerns regarding certain aspects of the format.

“I think they should change the Home and Away game so I feel like it should go home, away, home, and away instead of going home, home, away, away, I feel like it just doesn’t seem right to go like that,” Smith said.