Playoffs

The playoffs (in United States and Canada), postseason, climax (in Japan), or finals series (in Australia and New Zealand) of a is a stage of a sports league played after the regular season of a competition by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be either a single game, a series of games, or a tournament, and may use a single-elimination system or one of several other different playoff formats. Playoff, in regard to international fixtures, is to qualify or progress to the next round of a competition or tournament

format that is used for the elimination round of a sports tournament

elimination tournament in the National Hockey League