NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2019: How to watch and first round preview
The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Wednesday night and hockey fans all over the world are ready to see who will be crowned Lord Stanley's champion. The favorite coming into the 16-team tournament is the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Eastern Conference powerhouse that tied a league record with 62 wins and notched a league best 128 points. The team also scored 325 goals.
Other challengers that could mount a Cup run are the defending champion Washington Capitals, led by superstar Alex Ovechkin; the Calgary Flames, currently the top seed in the Western Conference with 50 wins and 107 points; and the New York Islanders, a gritty defensive squad that allowed a low of only 196 goals over the regular season.
Will this finally be the year the Canadian Curse comes to an end? It has been 26 years since one of the NHL's seven Canadian franchises hoisted the trophy, when the Montreal Canadians won the 1993 championship. Most recently, Canada witnessed the Vancouver Canucks drop Game 7 at home to the Boston Bruins in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals.
Below are the first-round matchups for the teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences, as well as the dates of the games, the channels they will be on and their start times. All times are Eastern.
(Note: teams are divided into the Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific Divisions.)
Eastern Conference
A1. Tampa Bay Lightning vs. WC2. Columbus Blue Jackets
What to look for: Tampa Bay Lightning is most dominant team in the league, especially with superstars Nikita Kucherov and Steve Stamkos playing at a high level. The team averaged a league best 3.89 goals per game, was first in penalty-kill percentage and first in power-play percentage. Their 62 wins is the most all-time in regular season history, tying the 1996 Detroit Red Wings. By all accounts, they should make quick work of Blue Jackets. Columbus' best hope comes in the form of their winger combo of Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson, who are extremely talented.
Schedule
Game 1, 4/10 on USA at 7:00 P.M.
Game 2, 4/12 on CNBC at 7:00 P.M.
Game 3, 4/14 on NBCSN at 7:00 P.M.
Game 4, 4/16 on CNBC at 7:00 P.M.
(Games 5-7 if necessary)
A2. Boston Bruins vs. A3. Toronto Maple Leafs
What to look for: Maple Leafs fans better prepare themselves as this rematch between two Original Six blood rivals could recall their classic 2013 playoff series and last years' seven-game heartbreaker. Six years ago, the Maple Leafs blew a 4-1 third-period lead in Game 7. Last year, they got blown at 7-4 in Game 7. Toronto features a three-headed forward combo of Mitch Marner, John Tavares and Auston Matthews, arguably the best in the league. The Bruins blue line will carry them through the series though, led by Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy. Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak could get hot, as well.
Schedule
Game 1, 4/11 on NBCSN at 7:00 P.M.
Game 2, 4/13 on NBC at 8:00 P.M.
Game 3, 4/15 on NBCSN at 7:00 P.M.
Game 4, 4/17 on NBCSN at 7:00 P.M.
(Games 5-7 if necessary)
M1. Washington Capitals vs. WC1. Carolina Hurricanes
What to look for: Last year the Capitals exorcised decades of demons to capture the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. The champs are back in the tournament, ready to defend their crown as they ride the backs of future Hall of Famer Alexander Ovechkin and established superstar Evegny Kuznetsov. Carolina is back in the playoffs after a decade away and counters Washington's experience with coach Rob Brind'Amour's innovative tactics and the youthful wing combo of Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho.
Schedule
Game 1, 4/10 on USA at 7:30 P.M.
Game 2, 4/13 on NBC at 3:00 P.M.
Game 3, 4/15 on CNBC at 7:00 P.M.
Game 4, 4/18 on SN360 at 7:00 P.M.
(Games 5-7 if necessary)
M2. New York Islanders vs. M3. Pittsburgh Penguins
What to look for: Oh baby, here's a matchup that should generate a ton of hype. This is probably the Islanders' best squad since their Stanley Cup teams in the early 1980s. While they have trouble scoring, the Islanders are without question the best defensive team in the league, led by top goaltending combo Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss, and the masterful coaching of Barry Trotz. And then there's the Penguins, a gold-standard franchise, who have won three Stanley Cups in 10 years and are still powered by all-time greats Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Don't expect Pittsburgh to be an easy out.
Schedule
Game 1, 4/10 on NBCSN at 7:30 P.M.
Game 2 4/12 on NBCSN at 7:30 P.M.
Game 3 4/14 on NBC at 12:00 P.M.
Game 4 4/16 on NBCSN at 7:30 P.M.
(Games 5-7 if necessary)
Western Conference
C1. Nashville Predators vs. WC2. Dallas Stars
What to look for: This should be a low-scoring series: Dallas was second in goals allowed per game; Nashville was tied for third. Nashville is looking to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals after a one-year absence and are once again powered by a tough defense, speared by goaltender Pekka Rinne, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner. Dallas is led by superstar Tyler Seguin and goalie Ben Bishop and is a mentally tough group that overcame some owner-generated controversy during the regular season.
Schedule
Game 1, 4/10 on USA at 9:30 P.M.
Game 2 4/13 on CNBC at 6:00 P.M.
Game 3 4/14 on NBCSN at 9:30 P.M.
Game 4 4/17 on USA at 8:00 P.M.
(Games 5-7 if necessary)
C2. Winnipeg Jets vs. C3. St. Louis Blues
What to look for: The Winnipeg Jets are one of the more physical teams in the league, led by their two top defensemen, Dustin Byfuglien and Josh Morrisey. The Blues are one of the surprise teams in the league, as they made the playoffs after an extremely slow start. The franchise features tough-minded Vladimir Tarasenkos on the wing. Something's got to give between these two Western Conference powers.
Schedule
Game 1, 4/10 on NHL Network at 8:00 P.M.
Game 2 4/12 on CNBC at 9:30 P.M.
Game 3 4/14 on CNBC at 7:30 P.M.
Game 4 4/16 on CNBC at 9:30 P.M.
(Games 5-7 if necessary)
P1. Calgary Flames vs. WC1. Colorado Avalanche
What to look for: By numbers alone, the Calgary Flames is the best team in the Western Conference. It led the conference in points, goals scored, home victories, road victories and goal differential. Winger Johnny Gaudreau had a career-best year, center Sean Monahan was a scoring machine and free-agent acquisition Derek Ryan acquitted himself nicely. The Avalanche has struggled with depth all season. They need to hope new goalie Philipp Grubauer stays hot going into the playoffs.
Schedule
Game 1, 4/11 on NBCSN at 10:00 P.M.
Game 2 4/13 on NBCSN at 10:30 P.M.
Game 3 4/15 on CNBC at 10:00 P.M.
Game 4 4/17 on NBCSN at 10:00 P.M.
(Games 5-7 if necessary)
P2. San Jose Sharks vs. P3. Las Vegas Golden Knights
What to look for: Can the Golden Knights make another miracle run to the Stanley Cup Finals? Will the Sharks honor their veteran squad with one last Stanley Cup Finals appearance? The Knights had one of the worst power play percentages in the league, but they also feature Paul Stastny and Mark Stone. Meanwhile, the Sharks are led by wily veterans like aging future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, and defensemen Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson. By any objective measure the Sharks are fan favorites, despite their goaltending problems.
Schedule
Game 1, 4/10 on NBCSN at 10:30 P.M.
Game 2 4/12 on NBCSN at 10:30 P.M.
Game 3 4/14 on NBCSN at 10:00 P.M.
Game 4 4/16 on NBCSN at 10:30 P.M.
(Games 5-7 if necessary)
