Five of six higher-seeded NHL playoff teams lost opener but won series

So, how did the eight higher-seeded teams fare in Round 1 of the NHL playoffs?

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Two weeks ago we pointed out that, historically, the higher-seeded team wins an opening-round, best-of-seven series only 43% of the time after losing at home in Game 1, according to league records.

And a whopping six such teams that lost their series openers two weeks ago. Yet five literally defied the odds and came back to win the series.

Namely, the Toronto Maple Leafs (over Tampa Bay Lightning), New Jersey Devils (over New York Rangers), Dallas Stars (or Minnesota Wild), Edmonton Oilers (over Los Angeles Kings) and Las Vegas Knights (over Winnipeg Jets).

One other higher-seeded team advanced to Round 2: The Carolina Hurricanes, who won their opener before dispatching the New York Islanders in six games.

Another little factoid the NHL provided Postmedia late last month proved wrong, too. Before this year, when a best-of-seven went the distance, the higher-seeded team won Game 7 at home 110 of 190 times in playoff history (58%).

But this year, two of the three road teams pulled off the upset victory in the decider — the Florida Panthers over the host Boston Bruins 4-3 in overtime, and the Seattle Kraken over the host Colorado Avalanche 2-1. So that historical percentage has dropped to 57.5%.

One statistical prediction proved more accurate.

Although the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Bruins won their opener against the Panthers, they did drop Game 2 at home. And before this year, when the higher-seeded team won Game 1 but lost Game 2, it went on to win only 89 of 173 series (51%). A coin toss, basically.

And the flip came up tails for the heads-calling Bruins.