1994 Murphy Cup playoffs

The 1994 Murphy Cup playoffs of Roller Hockey International began in September, 1994, after the 1994 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, four from each division (the winner of each of the four divisions plus the three teams with the highest point totals from the teams remaining in each division), play a best-of-three series, with the third game a one 12–minute period, for the division semifinals, finals, and conference finals, and then the conference champions will play a best-of-three series, with the third game a one 12–minute period, for the Murphy Cup. All eight teams to qualify in the Eastern Conference were expansion teams, while all but two teams in the Western Conference were original teams.

The Finals ended in September, 1994, with the Buffalo Stampede defeating the Portland Rage two games to none to win the championship. They became just the second team, after the 1993 Anaheim Bullfrogs, to win the championship.

Playoff seeds

After the regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Minnesota Arctic Blast were the Eastern Conference regular season champions and had the best overall record at 37 points. The Los Angeles Blades had the best record in the Western Conference with 36 points.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

  1. Buffalo Stampede – Atlantic Division champions, 34 points
  2. Montreal Roadrunners – 26 points
  3. Philadelphia Bulldogs – 24 points
  4. New Jersey Rockin Rollers – 23 points

Central Division

  1. Minnesota Arctic Blast – Central Division and Eastern Conference regular season champions; Best Overall Record winners, 37 points
  2. Pittsburgh Phantoms – 26 points
  3. Chicago Cheetahs – 24 points
  4. Atlanta Fire Ants – 22 points

Western Conference

Northwest Division

  1. Vancouver Voodoo – Northwest Division champions, 31 points
  2. Calgary Rad'z – 26 points
  3. Phoenix Cobras – 24 points
  4. Portland Rage – 23 points

Pacific Division

  1. Los Angeles Blades – Pacific Division and Western Conference regular season champions, 36 points
  2. San Jose Rhinos – 28 points
  3. Anaheim Bullfrogs – 27 points
  4. San Diego Barracudas – 22 points

Playoff bracket

In the first two rounds, the highest seed in each division is matched against the lowest remaining seed, with the two division finals winners in each conference matched against each other in the conference finals. The higher-seeded team is awarded home floor advantage, which gives them a possible maximum of two games on their home floor, with the lower-seeded team getting one. In the Murphy Cup Finals, home floor is determined based on regular season points. Thus, the Buffalo Stampede had home floor advantage in the Murphy Cup Finals. Each best-of-three series, with the third game a one 12–minute period, followed a 1–2 format. This means that the lower-seeded team had home floor for game 1, while the higher-seeded team had home floor for game 2, and if necessary, the 12–minute game 3.

Division Semifinals Division Finals Conference Finals Murphy Cup Finals
            
A1 Buffalo Stampede 2
A4 New Jersey Rockin Rollers 0
A1 Buffalo Stampede 2
Atlantic Division
A2 Montreal Roadrunners 0
A2 Montreal Roadrunners 2
A3 Philadelphia Bulldogs 0
A1 Buffalo Stampede 2
Eastern Conference
C1 Minnesota Arctic Blast 1
C1 Minnesota Arctic Blast 2
C4 Atlanta Fire Ants 0
C1 Minnesota Arctic Blast 2
Central Division
C2 Pittsburgh Phantoms 1
C2 Pittsburgh Phantoms 2
C3 Chicago Cheetahs 1
A1 Buffalo Stampede 2
N4 Portland Rage 0
N1 Vancouver Voodoo 0
N4 Portland Rage 2
N4 Portland Rage 2
Northwest Division
N2 Calgary Rad'z 1
N2 Calgary Rad'z 2
N3 Phoenix Cobras 0
N4 Portland Rage 2
Western Conference
P3 Anaheim Bullfrogs 0
P1 Los Angeles Blades 2
P4 San Diego Barracudas 0
P1 Los Angeles Blades 0
Pacific Division
P3 Anaheim Bullfrogs 2
P2 San Jose Rhinos 0
P3 Anaheim Bullfrogs 2

Division Semifinals

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

(1) Buffalo Stampede vs. (4) New Jersey Rockin Rollers

The Buffalo Stampede entered the playoffs as the first seed in the Atlantic Division after winning the division with 34 points. The New Jersey Rockin Rollers earned the fourth seed with 23 points.

The Stampede swept the Rockin Rollers, 2 games to 0.

New Jersey Rockin Rollers 6 – 9
 Buffalo Stampede Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
Buffalo Stampede 12 – 10
 New Jersey Rockin Rollers Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY
  Buffalo won series 2–0  
(2) Montreal Roadrunners vs. (3) Philadelphia Bulldogs

The Montreal Roadrunners entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Atlantic Division with 26 points. The Philadelphia Bulldogs earned the third seed with 24 points.

The Roadrunners swept the Bulldogs, 2 games to 0.

Philadelphia Bulldogs 5 – 6
 Montreal Roadrunners Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
Montreal Roadrunners 14 – 7
 Philadelphia Bulldogs Montreal Forum, Montreal, QC
  Montreal won series 2–0  

Central Division

(1) Minnesota Arctic Blast vs. (4) Atlanta Fire Ants
Atlanta Fire Ants 4 – 14
 Minnesota Arctic Blast Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, GA
Minnesota Arctic Blast 8 – 7
 Atlanta Fire Ants Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
  Minnesota won series 2–0  
(2) Pittsburgh Phantoms vs. (3) Chicago Cheetahs
Chicago Cheetahs 9 – 8
 Pittsburgh Phantoms UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL
Pittsburgh Phantoms 23 – 5
 Chicago Cheetahs Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh Phantoms 1 – 0
 Chicago Cheetahs Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
  Pittsburgh won series 2–1  

Western Conference

Northwest Division

(1) Vancouver Voodoo vs. (4) Portland Rage
Portland Rage 8 – 7
 Vancouver Voodoo Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR
Vancouver Voodoo 8 – 14
 Portland Rage Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC
  Portland won series 2–0  
(2) Calgary Rad'z vs. (3) Phoenix Cobras
Phoenix Cobras 9 – 10
 Calgary Rad'z Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, AZ
Calgary Rad'z 8 – 6
 Phoenix Cobras Max Bell Centre, Calgary, AB
  Calgary won series 2–0  

Pacific Division

(1) Los Angeles Blades vs. (4) San Diego Barracudas
San Diego Barracudas 6 – 14
 Los Angeles Blades San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA
Los Angeles Blades 9 – 8
 San Diego Barracudas Great Western Forum, Inglewood, CA
  Los Angeles won series 2–0  
(2) San Jose Rhinos vs. (3) Anaheim Bullfrogs
Anaheim Bullfrogs 8 – 5
 San Jose Rhinos Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
San Jose Rhinos 6 – 7
 Anaheim Bullfrogs San Jose Arena, San Jose, CA
  Anaheim won series 2–0  

Division Finals

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

(1) Buffalo Stampede vs. (2) Montreal Roadrunners
Montreal Roadrunners 6 – 7
 Buffalo Stampede Montreal Forum, Montreal, QC
Buffalo Stampede 8 – 2
 Montreal Roadrunners Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY
  Buffalo won series 2–0  

Central Division

(1) Minnesota Arctic Blast vs. (2) Pittsburgh Phantoms
Pittsburgh Phantoms 8 – 6
 Minnesota Arctic Blast Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Minnesota Arctic Blast 14 – 11
 Pittsburgh Phantoms Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota Arctic Blast 4 – 1
 Pittsburgh Phantoms Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
  Minnesota won series 2–1  

Western Conference

Northwest Division

(2) Calgary Rad'z vs. (4) Portland Rage
Portland Rage 10 – 6
 Calgary Rad'z Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR
Calgary Rad'z 8 – 7
 Portland Rage Max Bell Centre, Calgary, AB
Calgary Rad'z 1 – 2
 Portland Rage Max Bell Centre, Calgary, AB
  Portland won series 2–1  

Pacific Division

(1) Los Angeles Blades vs. (3) Anaheim Bullfrogs
Anaheim Bullfrogs 9 – 6
 Los Angeles Blades Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Los Angeles Blades 8 – 9
 Anaheim Bullfrogs Great Western Forum, Inglewood, CA
  Anaheim won series 2–0  

Conference finals

Eastern Conference

(C1) Minnesota Arctic Blast vs. (A1) Buffalo Stampede

Buffalo Stampede 7 – 8
 Minnesota Arctic Blast Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY
Minnesota Arctic Blast 6 – 11
 Buffalo Stampede Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota Arctic Blast 1 – 5
 Buffalo Stampede Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
  Buffalo won series 2–1  

Western Conference

(P3) Anaheim Bullfrogs vs. (N4) Portland Rage

Portland Rage 10 – 7
 Anaheim Bullfrogs Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR
Anaheim Bullfrogs 7 – 11
 Portland Rage Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
  Portland won series 2–0  

Murphy Cup Finals

Portland Rage 8 – 11
 Buffalo Stampede Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR
Buffalo Stampede 8 – 7
 Portland Rage Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY
  Buffalo won series 2–0  

See also