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 battled 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: Friday, August 14 at 3pm – MTL at PHI (NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 3: Sunday, August 16 at 8pm – PHI on MTL (NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 4: Tuesday, August 18 at 3pm – PHI at MTL (NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 5 *: Wednesday 19 August on TBD – MTL by PHI (TBD)
Game 6 *: Friday 21st August at TBD – MTL at PHI (TBD)
Game 7 *: Sunday 23 August at TBD – MTL at 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: Saturday 15th August at 7.30pm – TBL by CBJ (NBCSN, SN360, TVAS)
Game 4: Monday 17th August at 3pm – TBL by CBJ (NBCSN, SN, TVAS)
Game 5 *: Wednesday 19 August on TBD – CBJ at TBL (TBD)
Game 6 *: Friday 21 August at TBD – TBL at CBJ (TBD)
Game 7 *: Saturday 22 August at TBD – CBJ at TBL (TBD)
Washington Capitals (3) vs. New York Islanders (7)
Game 1: Islanders 4, Capitals 2
Game 2: Friday, August 14 at 8pm – NYI at WSH (NBCSN, FX-CA, TVAS)
Game 3: Sunday, August 16 at 12pm – WSH at NYI (USA, SN360, TVAS)
Game 4: Tuesday, August 18 at 8pm – WSH at NYI (NBCSN)
Game 5 *: Thursday, August 20 at TBD – NYI at WSH (TBD)
Game 6 *: Saturday, August 22 at TBD – WSH at NYI (TBD)
Game 7 *: Sunday, August 23 at TBD – 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: Saturday 15th August at 12pm – BOS at CAR (NBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 4: Monday, August 17 at 8 pm – BOS at CAR (NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 5 *: Wednesday 19 August at TBD – CAR at BOS (TBD)
Game 6 *: Thursday 20 August on TBD – BOS by CAR (TBD)
Game 7 *: Sunday 23 August on TBD – CAR by BOS (TBD)
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: Saturday 15 August at 8pm – URC at CHI (NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 4: Sunday 16 August at 6.30pm – VGK at CHI (NBCSN, SN1, SN360)
Game 5 *: Tuesday 18 August at TBD – CHI at VGK (TBD)
Game 6 *: Thursday 20 August at TBD – VGK at CHI (TBD)
Game 7 *: Saturday 22 August at TBD – CHI at VGK (TBD)
Colorado Avalanche (2) vs. Arizona Coyotes (11)
Game 1: Avalanche 3, Coyotes 0
Game 2: Friday, August 14 at 2pm – ARI at COL (NHLN, SN360, TVAS)
Game 3: Saturday 15th August at 3pm – COL by ARI (CNBC, SN360, TVAS)
Game 4: Monday, August 17 at 5:30 pm – COL by ARI (NBCSN, FX-CA, TVAS)
Game 5 *: Wednesday 19 Aug. By TBD – ARI by COL (TBD)
Game 6 *: Friday 21 August at TBD – COL at ARI (TBD)
Game 7: * Sunday 23 August at TBD – ARI at COL (TBD)
Dallas Stars (3) vs. Calgary Flames (8)
Game 1: Flames 3, Stars 2
Game 2: Stars 5, Flames 4
Game 3: Friday, August 14 at 10:30 a.m. – DAL at CGY (NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 4: Sunday, August 16 at 2pm – DAL at CGY (NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 5 *: Tuesday, August 18 at TBD – CGY at DAL (TBD)
Game 6 *: Thursday 20 August at TBD – DAL at CGY (TBD)
Game 7 *: Saturday 22 August at TBD – CGY at DAL (TBD)
St. Louis Blues (4) vs. Vancouver Canucks (7)
Game 1: Canucks 5, Blues 2
Game 2: Friday, August 14 at 6:30 pm – VAN at STL (NHLN, SN, TVAS)
Game 3: Sunday, August 16 at 10:30 a.m. – STL on VAN (CNBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 4: Monday, August 17 at 10:30 a.m. – STL at VAN (NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Game 5 *: Wednesday 19 Aug. By TBD – VAN by STL (TBD)
Game 6 *: Friday 21 August at TBD – STL at VAN (TBD)
Game 7 *: Sunday 23 August at TBD – VAN at STL (TBD)
* If necessary
