Playoff format Two games total goals . This is a concept borrowed from soccer and was used in hockey ' s early history . One game is usually played at each team ' s home base . The total goals from the two games determines the winner . One advantage of this format are that there are a set number of games that assists in scheduling further playoffs . This was good when there were a large number of teams and series to be played in a limited amount of time . Time was limited in hockey before artificial ice was introduced . When the weather got too warm the season was over . Another advantage is that it cuts down on travel time . This was a problem in the early days before airplanes and good roads . If the two teams were tied then usually a third game was played at a neutral site . Deciding this neutral site was often a serious problem . Sometimes another two games were played , A serious disadvantage was that if the first game was too lopsided then there would be little fan interest in the second . This could be a blow to the second home team , which counted on playoff receipts to balance its books . The Ontario Hockey Association used this system until the 1930 ' s in its junior and intermediate playoffs . Quebec used a " mercy rule " if the first game was too lopsided - cancelling the second game . Best of three , five , and seven . As travel became easier these formats gradually became popular . Also the expansion of artificial ice availability extended the season . The advantage was that the score of the first game became irrelevant . The result counted , of course , but the losing team could not come back easier . In amateur hockey ties counted in these formats . They counted as one point and wins were two . The first team to reach the necesssary number of points - four in best of three , six in best of five , and eight in best of seven - would win the series . Overtime was a problem for amateur teams as theyu had no flexibility in their travel schedules . The Ontario Hockey Association had a rule that if the teams were tied in points and both needed just one point to win , then the series would be stopped and a new " two games total points series " would be held . An example of these situations includes both teams with seven points in a best - of - seven . Best of nine and eleven . These formats were used but rarely . The Western Hockey League used the best - of - nine playoff series for the Western Division playoffs from the 1983 - 84 season through the 1990 - 91 season because of the unequal division alignment of the league at this time . The Eastern division had eight teams : six of which qualified for the playoffs . The Western division only had six teams : four of which made the playoffs . Because of this , Eastern division had 3 rounds of playoffs ( two teams received a first round bye ) , while the Western division only had two rounds of playoffs . The east played a best - of - five , best - of - seven , best - of - seven format for the three rounds while both rounds in the Western division playoffs were best - of - nine . This was used so that both divisions would finish their playoffs at approximately the same time . The WHL Championship Series was a best - of - seven . These best - of - nine series went the full nine games on two occasions , with Portland Winter Hawks defeating the New Westminster Bruins in 1984 and Spokane in 1986 . In 1953 , the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association ( CAHA ) suspended the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association ( QAHA ) in February . This meant that Quebec teams could not compete for the Allan Cup or the Memorial Cup . To fill the void in scheduling . Quebec leagues adopted several best - of - nine and even best - of - eleven . See : 1952 - 53 Quebec Senior Playoffs .