The Stanley Cup playoffs are always electric, and this year is no different.

Coming into the playoffs, six former Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey alumni were participating. Now that the first round is complete, only one-third of that field remains.

A pair of former Badgers faced off in an electric seven-game series, one that saw Cole Caufield's Montreal Canadians prevail. In the process, he sent home 36-year-old Ryan McDonagh and his Tampa Bay Lightning.

Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Kings were embarrassed by the Colorado Avalanche. The Kings, who are the team 25-year-old Alex Turcotte plays for, were swept by this year's winner of the President's Trophy.

The other eliminated former Badgers include Edmonton Oilers' rent Frederic and Ty Emberson. Even with arguably the best player in the league on their roster, Edmonton fell to the Anaheim Ducks in six games.

Knowing all of that, Badgers fans still have a pair of players to root for. Caufield's Canadians are set to do battle with the Buffalo Sabers while K'Andre Miller represents the Carolina Hurricanes, a team that already enjoys a 1-0 lead on the Philadelphia Flyers.

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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Cole Caufield and K'Andre Miller represent Wisconsin in NHL playoffs