The NHL playoff bracket offers plenty of intriguing matchups.
There’s the Battle of Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. The always-intense Battle of Ontario (Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators) returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers meet for the fourth year in a row.
The Dallas Stars-Colorado Avalanche series features winger Mikko Rantanen, who was traded by the Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this season and will now face his former team after a trade to the Stars.
Here are the playoff matchups, schedule and results for the first round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs (all times p.m. ET, series are best of seven):
Eastern Conference
Key: M-Metropolitan; A-Atlantic; WC-wild card; x-if necessary
Streaming: Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games
Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (WC2)
- Game 1: Monday, April 21, Canadiens at Capitals, 7, ESPN
- Game 2: Wednesday, April 23, Canadiens at Capitals, 7, ESPN
- Game 3: Friday, April 25, Capitals at Canadiens, 7, TNT, truTV, Max
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, 6:30, Capitals at Canadiens, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Canadiens at Capitals, TBD
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Capitals at Canadiens, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Canadiens at Capitals, TBD
Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs. New Jersey Devils (M3)
- Game 1: Sunday, April 20, Devils at Hurricanes, 3, ESPN
- Game 2: Tuesday, April 22,Devils at Hurricanes, 6, ESPN
- Game 3: Friday, April 25, Hurricanes at Devils, 8, TBS, Max
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Hurricanes at Devils, 3:30, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Devils at Hurricanes, TBD
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Hurricanes at Devils, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Devils at Hurricanes, TBD
Toronto Maple Leafs (A1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC1)
- Game 1: Sunday, April 20, Senators at Maple Leafs, 7, ESPN2
- Game 2: Tuesday, April 22, Senators at Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
- Game 3: Thursday, April 24, Maple Leafs at Senators, 7, ESPN2
- Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Maple Leafs at Senators, 7, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Senators at Maple Leafs, TBD
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 1, Maple Leafs at Senators, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Senators at Maple Leafs, TBD
Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Florida Panthers (A3)
- Game 1: Tuesday, April 22, Panthers at Lightning, 8:30, ESPN
- Game 2: Thursday, April 24, Panthers at Lightning, 6:30, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 3: Saturday, April 26, Lightning at Panthers, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 4: Monday, April 28, Lightning at Panthers, TBD
- x-Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Panthers at Lightning, TBD
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Lightning at Panthers, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Panthers at Lightning, TBD
Western Conference
Key: C-Central; P-Pacific; WC-wild card, x-if necessary
Streaming: Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games
Winnipeg Jets (C1) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2)
Jets lead series 1-0
- Game 1: Jets 5, Blues 3
- Game 2: Monday, April 21, Blues at Jets, 7:30, ESPN2
- Game 3: Thursday, April 24, Jets at Blues, 9:30, ESPN2
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Jets at Blues, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Blues at Jets, TBD
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Jets at Blues, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Blues at Jets, TBD
Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3)
- Game 1: Saturday, April 19, Avalanche at Stars, 8:30, TNT, truTV, Max
- Game 2: Monday, April 21, Avalanche at Stars, 9:30, ESPN
- Game 3: Wednesday, April 23, Stars at Avalanche, 9:30, ESPN
- Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Stars at Avalanche, 9:30, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Monday, April 28, Avalanche at Stars, TBD
- x-Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Stars at Avalanche, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Avalanche at Stars, TBD
Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC1)
- Game 1: Sunday, April 20, Wild at Golden Knights, 10, ESPN
- Game 2: Tuesday, April 22, Wild at Golden Knights, 11, ESPN
- Game 3: Thursday, April 24, Golden Knights at Wild, 9, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Golden Knights at Wild, 4, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Wild at Golden Knights, TBD
- x-Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Golden Knights at Wild, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Wild at Golden Knights, TBD
Los Angeles Kings (P2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3)
- Game 1: Monday, April 21, Oilers at Kings, 10, ESPN2
- Game 2: Wednesday, April 23, Oilers at Kings, 10 p.m. ET, TBS, Max
- Game 3: Friday, April 25, Kings at Oilers, 10, TNT, truTV, Max
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Kings at Oilers, 9:30,TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Oilers at Kings, TBD
- x-Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Kings at Oilers, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Oilers at Kings, TBD