The National Hockey League released part of its playoff schedule on Thursday, mapping out when each series would play Game 1.
The Ottawa Senators will kick off the Stanley Cup Playoff schedule with Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
The Montreal Canadiens will play Game 1 against the Atlantic Division-rival Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, April 19 with the time yet to be determined.
The date for the Edmonton Oilers first playof game is up in the air as they could either fall to the second wild-card spot and open their postseason on Sunday against the Colorado Avalanche or clinch one of the remaining Pacific Division spots and kick off their playoffs on Monday, April 20.
The final seeding in the Western Conference will be decided Thursday night with the Oilers (91 points), Anaheim Ducks (90 points), and Los Angeles Kings (91 points) all in action.
The full first-round schedule will be announced following Thursday’s games.
| Saturday, April 18 | Game 1 |
|---|---|
| 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT | Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes |
| 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT | Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars |
| 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT | Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Sunday, April 19 | Game 1 |
|---|---|
| Time TBD | Western Conference Wild Card #2 at Colorado Avalanche |
| Time TBD | Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Time TBD | Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres |
| Time TBD | Utah Mammoth at Vegas Golden Knights |
| Monday, April 20 | Game 1 |
|---|---|
| Time TBD | Pacific Division #3 at Pacific Division #2 |
The playoffs will end before June 21, as a possible Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final is schedule to be held no later than that date.
