Lynn Burke (thanks for the AP lists, BTW) wrote:
>After posting the tournament pairings, I received an e-mail
>asking about the ECAC listing for 3-point series in the first round and
>how that differs from the other conferences, who are listed for best of 3.
>Can someone elaborate because I couldn't provide the answer. Thanks.
 
In the CCHA and WCHA, the first-round series are best-of-three, with all
three games being played to sudden-death OT, if necessary.  Therefore, each
game has a winner and a loser.
 
In the ECAC, the first two (scheduled) games are played as normal regular
season games are, with a five-minute OT period (this just changed this year,
there used to be no OT) and can end in a tie.  The teams are awarded 2 points
for a win and 1 point each for a tie.  The third game is played only if both
teams have two points after the first two games (e.g. they tie both games or
each team wins one).  So, in a sense, the first team to get three points in
the series wins.  (The third game is sudden-death.)
 
G. M. Finniss
Michigan State University 17-7-3, 22-10-3
WVU '87, UTenn '92, MSU who the hell knows when?