Let the games begin...

All-Time Stanley Cup Playoffs 1st Round

(1) '76-77 Canadiens 2, (16) '50-51 Maple Leafs 1 (3OT)
MONTREAL-- In what could be called one of the greatest Game 1's ever, the #1 seeded '76-77 Canadiens took a 1-0 lead in the series with a goal by Guy Lafleur midway through the third overtime period. The goal ended a classic goalie duel between Montreal's Ken Dryden and Toronto Al Rollins that developed after a goal by the Maple Leafs' Sid Smith just 12 seconds into the first period. The Canadiens didn't tie until the 18:20 mark in the third period when Jacques Lemaire scored. The Canadiens' Steve Shutt had assists on both the game-trying and game-winning goals.

Smith 1G; Kennedy 1A; Sloan 1A; Rollins 54-56 saves (TOR)
Lemaire 1G; Shutt 2A; Savard 1A; Lafleur 1G; Chartraw 1A; Dryden 53-54 saves (MON)

(4) '43-44 Canadiens 4, (13) '00-01 Avalanche 2
MONTEAL-- The '43-44 Canadiens took a 1-0 lead in their series with the Colorado Avalanche after a 4-2 game that saw hard penalties and around 30 shots on goal for each team. The Canadiens took the lead in the first minute of the game thanks to Chamberlain only to see the Avalanche's Bourque tie it up at the nine minute mark of the 2nd period. That period also saw goals by the Canadiens Lach and Majeau, the latter the eventual game winner as Colorado's Tanguay scored 43 seconds left in the period to make the 3rd period exciting only for Getliffe to score a empty net goal to finally put the game away at the 19:26 mark in the third.

Bourque 1G; Tanguay 1G; Miller 1A; Parker 1A; Roy 29-32 saves (COL)
Chamberlain 1G; Hefferan 1A; McMahon 2A; Lach 1G; Majeau 1G; Bouchard 2A; Getliffe 1G; Harmon 1A; Durnan 24-26 saves (MON)

(5) '81-82 Islanders 6, (12) '51-52 Red Wings 0
NEW YORK-- Behind the outstanding performances by goaltender Billy Smith and RW Mike Bossy, the '81-82 Islanders took a 1-0 lead in their series with the '51-52 Red Wings with a 6-0 drubbing. Smith was perfect against 36 shots while Bossy scored 4 goals and added 2 assists to lead the Islanders. Denis Potvin of had three assists and was joined in the multi-point display by the Islanders by Mike McEwen and Bob Bourne who each had two assists. Bryan Trottier had another goal to go along with an assist and Clark Gillies ended the scoring for the Islanders.

Sawchuk 31-36 saves (DET)
Bossy 4G, 2A; Trottier 1G, 1A; Potvin 3A; Lane 1A; Bourne 2A; McEwen 2A; Gillies 1G; Smith 36-36 saves (NYI)

(9) '01-02 Red Wings 4, (8) '98-99 Stars 1
DALLAS- The visiting '01-02 Red Wings used the '98-99 Stars own mistakes to take the game 4-1 and win Game 1 to take a 1-0 series lead. Leading 2-1 in the 3rd period, the Red Wings' Brent Shanahan scored on a powerplay, his second goal of the night, to seal the game that truly ended when teammate Nickolas Lidstrom scored four minutes later at 13:24. The Stars had taken an early 1-0 lead on Pat Verbeek's goal at 6:30 in the 1st period, but after that early bump Wings goalie Dominik Hasek shut down the Stars as his teammates netted four goals.

Shanahan 2G; Duchesne 2A; Yzerman 1A; Maltby 1G; Lidstrom 1G, 1A; Fedorov 1A; McCarty 1A; Larionov 1A; Hasek 27-28 saves (DET)
Verbeek 1G; Severyn 1A; Zubov 1A; Belfour 28-32 saves (DAL)

All-Time Super Bowl Playoffs 1st Round

(8) '71 Cowboys 10, '55 Browns 6
DALLAS- The '71 Cowboys defense truly won the game as a interception by Cornell Green just 12 seconds into the game resulted in a TD for Green and the difference maker as Otto Graham's offensive attack was stalled. The Browns defense did the same to the Cowboy's offense as both sides settled for field goals the rest of the game.

(5) '79 Steelers 9, (12) '58 Colts 0
PITTSBURGH-- The defenses of both teams held legendary QBs Bradshaw and Unitas along with the offenses they to 3 FGs between them, all going to the Steelers. The game had all the trademarks that the Steelers teams were known for and that proved to be the difference in the game itself. The victory assures the Steelers a date next week with the 4th-seeded Washington Redskins in the Quarterfinals.

There you have it ladies and gentlemen, the first day of the playoffs is over and some interesting results have been made.

So you tomorrow as the other half of the Stanley Cup playoff series begin and the last two 1st Round Super Bowl Playoff games take place.