The start of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs is just a few days away.
The NHL’s round robin and qualifying round closed Sunday, setting up all eight of the first-round matchups.
The qualifying round was full of surprises. Four of the eight series resulted in insurgents, including the no. 12-seeded in both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference who won their matchups against the No. 5-seeds.
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The round robin also had no unexpected results. The Boston Bruins won the Presidents Trophy with the league’s best record of the regular season, but they ended up at the bottom of the East’s Robbin’s stand after three consecutive losses. The defending champion St. Louis Blues had the best record in the West in the regular season and also struggled in the round robin with a finish in fourth place (1-2-1 record).
Could we see a first-round startup that included one or both of last season’s Stanley Cup finalists? Anything is possible in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Here is the television schedule for each first-round series. Check back every day for this article for updated schedules and scores for all games (all times ET).
Eastern Conference
FIRST ROUND
Philadelphia Flyers (1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (12)
Game 1: Flyers 2, Canadiens 1
Game 2: Canadiens 5, Flyers 0
Game 3: Flyers 1, Canadiens 0
Game 4: Flyers 2, Canadiens 0
Game 5: Canadiens 5, Flyers 3
Game 6: Friday, August 21 – MTL by PHI (TBD)
Game 7 *: Sunday, August 23 – MTL by PHI (TBD)
Tampa Bay Lightning (2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (9)
Game 1: Lightning 3, Blue Jackets 2 (5OT)
Game 2: Blue Jackets 3, Lightning 1
Game 3: Lightning 3, Blue Jackets 2
Game 4: Lightning 2, Blue Jackets 1
Game 5: Lightning 5, Blue Jackets 4 (OT)
Lightning win series 4-1
Washington Capitals (3) vs. New York Islanders (7)
Game 1: Islanders 4, Capitals 2
Game 2: Islanders 5, Capitals 2
Game 3: Islanders 2, Capitals 1 (OT)
Game 4: Capitals 3, Islanders 2
Game 5: Thursday, August 20 – NYI at WSH, 8 p.m.
Game 6 *: Saturday, August 22 – WSH at NYI (TBD)
Game 7 *: Sunday, August 23 – NYI at WSH (TBD)
Boston Bruins (4) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (6)
Game 1: Bruins 4, Hurricanes 3 (2OT)
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Bruins 2
Game 3: Bruins 3, Hurricanes 1
Game 4: Bruins 4, Hurricanes 3
Game 5: Bruins 2, Hurricanes 1
Bruins win series 4-1
WESTERN CONFERENCE
FIRST ROUND
Vegas Golden Knights (1) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (12)
Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Blackhawks 1
Game 2: Golden Knights 4, Blackhawks 3 (OT)
Game 3: Golden Knights 2, Blackhawks 1
Game 4: Blackhawks 3, Golden Knights 1
Game 5: Golden Knights 4, Blackhawks 3
Golden Knights win series 4-1
Colorado Avalanche (2) vs. Arizona Coyotes (11)
Game 1: Avalanche 3, Coyotes 0
Game 2: Avalanche 3, Coyotes 2
Game 3: Coyotes 4, Avalanche 2
Game 4: Avalanche 7, Coyotes 1
Game 5: Avalanche 7, Coyotes 1
Avalanche wins series 4-1
Dallas Stars (3) vs. Calgary Flames (8)
Game 1: Flames 3, Stars 2
Game 2: Stars 5, Flames 4
Game 3: Flames 2, Stars 0
Game 4: Stars 5, Flames 4
Game 5: Stars 2, Flames 1
Game 6: Thursday, August 20 – DAL at CGY, 10:30 p.m.
Game 7 *: Saturday 22 August – CGY by DAL (TBD)
St. Louis Blues (4) vs. Vancouver Canucks (7)
Game 1: Canucks 5, Blues 2
Game 2: Canucks 4, Blues 3 (OT)
Game 3: Blues 3, Canucks 2 (OT)
Game 4: Blues 3, Canucks 1
Game 5: Canucks 4, Blues 3
Game 6: Friday, August 21 – STL at VAN (TBD)
Game 7 *: Sunday 23 August – VAN by STL (TBD)
* If necessary
