While May brings May showers, April brings the Stanley Cup playoffs. The teams are locked in as the first round kicks off. This round is one of four, as each team will have to get four wins in all four rounds if they want to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. Each team has its own reason for wanting to win, be it for back-to-back titles, to end a cup drought, or to gain a first Stanley Cup title.
The Stanley Cup is one of the most prestigious awards that a team can get in the world of sports, and it is the hardest one to achieve. Many teams in this year’s playoffs have already have had the chance of claiming the Cup, and each one can tell you how sweet that feeling was. It is the only trophy in the four American sports that you actually have to give back at the start of a new season, which adds to drive to keep it or get it back again.
The Stanley Cup playoffs can be the most grueling, heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, yet simultaneously satisfying of all the major sports post-seasons. The 2017 NHL playoffs should bring any hockey fan joy and delight (joy and delight may vary depending on home teams performance), but one thing is for sure, there is a whole lot of hockey to play.
NHL 2017 Playoffs Round 1: Viewing details
Date: Wednesday, April 12 – Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Broadcast: NBC Sports Network, NHL Network, USA Network (Check Local Listings)
NHL 2017 Playoffs Round 1: Matchups
Western Conference:
(#1) Blackhawks vs. (WC2) Predators
(#2) Wild vs. (#3) Blues
(#1) Ducks vs. (WC1) Flames
(#2) Oilers vs. (#3) Sharks
Eastern Conference
(#1) Canadians vs. (WC1) Rangers
(#2) Senators vs. (#3) Bruins
(#1) Capitols vs. (WC2) Maple Leafs
(#2) Penguins vs. (#3) Blue Jackets
To see the full bracket, click here
NHL 2017 Playoff Preview
NHL 2017 Playoffs Round 1: Full Schedule
Western Conference:
Blackhawks (#1) vs. Predators (WC2)
Game 1: April 13 at Blackhawks (8:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 2: April 15 at Blackhawks (8:00 P.M., NBC)
Game 3: April 17 at Predators (9:30 P.M., CNBC)
Game 4: April 20 at Predators (TBD)
Game 5: April 22 at Blackhawks (TBD)*
Game 6: April 24 at Predators (TBD)*
Game 7: April 26 at Blackhawks (TBD)*
Wild (#2) vs. Blues (#3)
Game 1: April 12 at Wild (9:30 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 2: April 14 at Wild (8:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 3: April 16 at Blues (3:00 P.M., NBC)
Game 4: April 19 at Blues (9:30 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 5: April 22 at Wild (TBD)*
Game 6: April 24 at Blues (TBD)*
Game 7: April 26 at Wild (TBD)*
Ducks (#1) vs. Flames (WC1)
Game 1: April 13 at Ducks (10:30 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 2: April 15 at Ducks (10:30 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 3: April 17 at Flames (10:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 4: April 19 at Flames (10:00 P.M., USA)
Game 5: April 21 at Ducks (TBD)*
Game 6: April 23 at Flames (TBD)*
Game 7: April 25 at Ducks (TBD)*
Oilers (#2) vs. Sharks (#3)
Game 1: April 12 at Oilers (10:00 P.M., USA)
Game 2: April 14 at Oilers (10:30 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 3: April 16 at Sharks (10:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 4: April 18 at Sharks (10:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 5: April 20 at Oilers (TBD)*
Game 6: April 22 at Sharks (TBD)*
Game 7: April 24 at Oilers (TBD)*
Eastern Conference:
Capitals (#1) vs. Maple Leafs (WC2)
Game 1: April 13 at Capitals (7:00 P.M., USA)
Game 2: April 15 at Capitals (7:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 3: April 17 at Maple Leafs (7:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 4: April 19 at Maple Leafs (7:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 5: April 21 at Capitals (TBD)*
Game 6: April 23 at Maple Leafs (TBD)*
Game 7: April 25 at Capitals (TBD)*
Penguins (#2) vs. Blue Jackets (#3)
Game 1: April 12 at Penguins (7:30 P.M., USA)
Game 2: April 14 at Penguins (7 P.M., NHLN)
Game 3: April 16 at Blue Jackets (6 P.M., CNBC)
Game 4: April 18 at Blue Jackets (7:30 P.M., CNBC)
Game 5: April 20 at Penguins (TBD)*
Game 6: April 23 at Blue Jackets (TBD)*
Game 7: April 25 at Penguins (TBD)*
Canadiens (#1) vs. Rangers (WC1)
Game 1: April 12 at Canadiens (7:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 2: April 14 at Canadiens (7:00 P.M., USA)
Game 3: April 16 at Rangers (7:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 4: April 18 at Rangers (7:00 P.M., NBCSN)
Game 5: April 20 at Canadiens (TBD)*
Game 6: April 22 at Rangers (TBD)*
Game 7: April 24 at Canadiens (TBD)*
Senators (#2) vs. Bruins (#3)
Game 1: April 12 at Senators (7:00 P.M., NHLN)
Game 2: April 15 at Senators (3:00 P.M., NBC)
Game 3: April 17 at Bruins (7:00 P.M., CNBC)
Game 4: April 19 at Bruins (7:30 P.M., USA)
Game 5: April 21 at Senators (TBD)*
Game 6: April 23 at Bruins (TBD)*
Game 7: April 26 at Senators (TBD)*