The 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs kick off on April 11, so get the first round schedule and more details about this NHL championship tournament!
The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on April 11. With the 2018 NHL season wrapped up, the best of the best will go skate-to-skate for a shot at immortality. 16 NHL teams all want to see their names inscribed on the Stanley Cup, but only one squad will raise the trophy in victory. Settle in. Spring may be half-over, but there’s plenty of hockey left, and it all starts tomorrow.
NBC has all the streams. For those with television and traditional cable set-ups, the games will air on NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC, USA and the NHL Network. For those who are on the go or have cut the cord, the NBC Sports website (for USA fans) will have a stream for every game, according to NESN. A television subscription info will be needed, FYI.
Here are your first round matches: In the Western Conference, the Nashville Predators will battle the Colorado Avalanche, who came from last place in the NHL last year to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The Winnipeg Jets will challenge the Minnesota Wild, while the newly minted Las Vegas Golden Knights will play the Los Angeles Kings. Rounding off the first round in the West, the Anaheim Ducks meet the San Jose Sharks.
Over in the East, the Tampa Bay Lightning will meet the New Jersey Devils, who are returning to the NHL postseason for the first time since 2012. The Boston Bruins will clash sticks with the Toronto Maple Leafs while the Washington Capitals will try to overcome their history of playoff woes when they meet the Columbus Blue Jackets. Plus, the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, engage in “the Battle Of Pennsylvania” when they meet their in-state rivals, the Philadelphia Fliers.
The Predators are favorites to win – or are they? Nashville is listed as a 4-1 favorites by the Westgate LV Superbook, according to CBS Sports. That should give Carrie Underwood something to smile about, since her hubby came out of retirement to re-join his squad. However, Sportsline’s David Kelly thinks the Preds are overrated going into the playoffs. “The Preds owe their special teams a great debt of gratitude this season, but history has taught us that penalty calls diminish rapidly during the NHL playoffs, so that advantage may be neutralized,” he said. Tampa Pay, Pittsburgh, Vegas, Winnipeg and Boston all seem to be threats, but that could change in a single game.
Here’s the full schedule of the opening round, courtesy of CBS Sports:
Wednesday, April 11
Thursday, April 12
Friday, April 13
Saturday, April 14
Sunday, April 15
Monday, April 16
Tuesday, April 17
Wednesday, April 18
Thursday, April 19
Friday, April 20
Saturday, April 21
Sunday, April 22
Monday, April 23
Tuesday, April 24
Wednesday, April 25
