> quarterfinal series).  In the event of a preliminary game tie, the
> higher seed would advance.
 
No, no, no!!!  To advance you should have to *win*.  Always.  Bad enough we
have to endure shoot-out idiocy in the Olympics.
 
The best way to do away with the Prelim game and also lose the ridiculous
play-in game is to restrict the ECAC tourny to the top 8.
 
BTW, the ugliest playoff system in captivity is the Western Divison of the
WHL of the major juniors.  Top 6 teams make the first round, 6/1; 5/2; 4/3,
in best of seven.  The highest suriving seed sits out for *two weeks* while
the lower two play a best of five.  The winner of the single series second
round then plays the title best of seven against that no longer dormant
high seed team.
 
But wait, there's more.  The WHL champion and the tourny champions of the
QMJHL and OHL then meet to decide the Memorial Cup -- along with the host
team, which gets an auto bid, *regardless of record*.  PLUS, the hosting is
decided by proposals submitted to the leagues years in advance, and is
based on hotel space, corporate packages, etc.  So, if you have enough
money or a big enough building, you can get a free pass to world
championship of your level of hockey despite going, say, 14-54-4.
 
The equivalent would be if the NC$$ sold the final slot in the Frozen Four
to the highest bidder, who also got to play in their home building.
Scratch that -- I don't want to give them any ideas.
 
Finally, the Memorila Cup is a hideously awkward round robin tournament,
despite having a nice number (4) of teams.
 
So -- it could be worse.  It could be A LOT worse.  ;-(
 
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