It all begins Saturday.
Thirty-two of the 62 teams that make up the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) begin their playoff runs.
Sixteen in each league.
Let’s start on the ice and closest to home here in Niagara, where the Atlanta Division champion Buffalo Sabres qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 15 years.
The Boston Bruins will provide the opposition for Buffalo. The two teams split their four regular season games.
Perhaps the most intriguing first round matchup in the Eastern Conference sees the Montreal Canadiens take on the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Habs are (7-3) over their final 10 games, and once again these two clubs split their four regular season contests.
The Ottawa Senators will play the east’s top team in the Carolina Hurricanes. Ottawa came together down the stretch to earn a postseason berth, and were (1-2) against the Canes during the regular season.
Here’s a look at the Eastern Conference playoff matchups: (all series are best of seven)
Carolina vs. Ottawa
Buffalo vs. Boston
Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia
Carolina vs. Ottawa
In the West, the Colorado Avalanche finished first overall claiming the President’s Trophy
The Edmonton Oilers were the only Canadian team to qualify for the postseason in the NHL Western Conference and didn’t find out until Thursday – the final night of the regular season – who they would play in the opening round of the playoffs.
And it’s the Anaheim Ducks.
The Oilers were (2-1) against Anaheim during the regular season.
Here’s a look at NHL Western Conference playoff matchups: (all are best of seven series)
Colorado vs. Los Angeles
Dallas vs. Minnesota
Vegas vs. Utah
Edmonton vs. Anaheim
As for the NBA, Canada’s only team – the Toronto Raptors – finished fourth in the Eastern Conference and will take on the fifth seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Raptors were a perfect (3-0) against Cleveland during the regular season but the playoffs are a completely different animal, and the Cavaliers did add James Harden before the NBA trade deadline.
Hamilton’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, reigning league Most Valuable Player and member of the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, finished first overall during the regular season with a (t64-18) record.
The NBA play-in games conclude Friday evening, but as of now here are the best of seven series set to begin this upcoming weekend.
Eastern Conference:
Toronto vs. Cleveland
Boston vs. Philadelphia
New York vs. Atlanta
Detroit vs. Orlando or Charlotte
Western Conference:
Oklahoma City vs. Phoenix or Golden State
San Antonio vs. Portland
Denver vs. Minnesota
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
