1973 Playoffs

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

The 1973 playoffs would prove to be very different from previous years. The new format meant new matchups in the first round not previously possible. One such series was between Detroit and Winnipeg, who had met in the 1970 Western Conference finals, but had never met in a first round series. Nobody gave the Pioneers- a team that had just squeaked into the playoffs- a chance against the powerful Mustangs. Winnipeg played the role of underdogs very well, however, taking a 2-1 series lead and eventually  forcing the series to a full seven games before falling in game seven 2-1. Also in the first round Boston eliminated Ottawa in five games, LA took out Chicago, while New York upset Philadelphia in a four game sweep. The Civics' magic would continue into the second round, where they would take down the Montreal Royale in six games, while Boston pulled off an upset of their own, taking down Nova Scotia in five games. In Calgary, Wranglers fans finally said goodbye to their ageless wonder, Skippy Cleveland. Cleveland scored his final PHL goal in game one against Detroit. A week later, the day after his 50th birthday, Cleveland played his final PHL game, a 2-1 overtime loss in Detroit that resulted in the Wranglers' elimination from the playoffs. Skippy was given a long ovation from the Detroit crowd as he skated off the ice for the last time. Despite their skill, most people did not give the LA Wizards much of a chance against the defending champion and regular season champs the Minnesota Lumberjacks. As the series began, Minnesota appeared to be in command, taking game one 3-2  in a game that was not nearly as close as the score would suggest. However, the Wizards would storm back, stunning the Lumberjacks in the next three straight. Game five in Minneapolis would get quite nasty, as the 'Jacks attempted to intimidate LA's superstar forwards. In the third period, with the Lumberjacks up 3-0, LA tough guy Roy Priest squared off with Minnesota's Doug Williams in a heavyweight tilt for the ages. LA responed with two goals in the third, not quite enough to win the game, but enough to spark the Wizards to a 4-3 overtime victory in game six on a goal from veteran Gilbert Girouix to finally put the defending champs to bed. In the Western Conference final, the Wizards put up a valiant effort against the Detroit Mustangs, even erasing a 3-1 series deficit to force game seven. The Mustangs would prove to be too much, however. Former Toronto Racer Bobby Kitchen enjoyed a two goal night in game seven as the Mustangs returned to the Lewis Cup Finals. Detroit's opponent in the championship round would be the cinderella New York Civics, a club that had not even reach the playoffs the previous year. Coming off a tough six game tilt with Boston, the Civics were eager to prove they belonged in the final. They would face an uphill battle, however, taking on a powerful Detroit team who was equally determined to prove their best days were not behind them.