NHL announces start dates for playoff matchups

NEW YORK – The NHL has unveiled when playoff-bound teams will begin their quests for the Stanley Cup.

The league released start dates and times for Game 1 of each first-round series on Thursday.

The playoffs begin Saturday with the Ottawa Senators facing the Hurricanes in Carolina (3 p.m. ET), followed by the Dallas Stars hosting the Minnesota Wild (5:30 p.m.) and the Philadelphia Flyers visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins (8 p.m.).

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On Sunday, the Colorado Avalanche will entertain the Los Angeles Kings (3 p.m.), who lost 3-1 to the Calgary Flames on Thursday night and finished their regular season in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot.

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Later Sunday, the visiting Montreal Canadiens face the Tampa Bay Lightning (5:45 p.m.), while the Boston Bruins face the Sabres (7:30 p.m.) in Buffalo. The Utah Mammoth take on the Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m.).

The final series begins Monday (10 p.m.) with the Edmonton Oilers hosting the Anaheim Ducks. The Oilers defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-1 on Thursday night to finish second in the Pacific Division, while the Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 to finish third and two points ahead of the Kings.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2026.