2006 NHL Playoffs

Congratulations to all the participants in the National Hockey League Playoff series, and especially to the Carolina Hurricanes, the 2006 winners of the Stanley Cup! It took seven hard-fought games, but the 'Canes finally defeated the Edmonton Oilers. Carolina's rookie goalkeeper, Cam Ward, was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy as the playoff's Most Valuable Player.

In the 2005-06 season, all 82 games of the regular National Hockey League season were needed to fill in the bracket of sixteen teams hoping to battle their way through the playoffs. The last day of the season, which marked the NHL's return from a year's interruption due to labor strife, saw the Ottawa Senators clinch the top seed position in the Eastern Conference (113 points), nudging out the Carolina Hurricanes by one point. The Detroit Red Wings finished with the best record in the entire league (58 wins, 16 regulation-time losses, and 8 OT losses for a total of 124 points); that achievement merits the prestigious Presidents' Trophy.

In most activities, a trophy signifying the best record of the year would wrap things up. But in the National Hockey League, there is still a whole lot of hockey left to play, and it's time to get your tickets to see it live in person!

For the playoffs, teams are paired up for three rounds of best-of-seven eliminations within their conferences. At that point, the champion of the Eastern Conference and the champion of the Western Conference face each other in the ultimate best-of-seven series for the historical and coveted Stanley Cup. Will the officials hang tough, enforcing the rules against grabbing and obstruction that they've been upholding all year? Will your team hang tough and make it all the way to the finals? Get your tickets now to be there and cheer them on!