By The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press
Posted April 16, 2026 1:17 pm
Updated April 17, 2026 1:28 am
1 min read
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NEW YORK – The NHL has unveiled when playoff-bound teams will begin their quests for the Stanley Cup.
The league released start dates and times for Game 1 of each first-round series on Thursday.
The playoffs begin Saturday with the Ottawa Senators facing the Hurricanes in Carolina (3 p.m. ET), followed by the Dallas Stars hosting the Minnesota Wild (5:30 p.m.) and the Philadelphia Flyers visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins (8 p.m.).
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On Sunday, the Colorado Avalanche will entertain the Los Angeles Kings (3 p.m.), who lost 3-1 to the Calgary Flames on Thursday night and finished their regular season in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot.
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Later Sunday, the visiting Montreal Canadiens face the Tampa Bay Lightning (5:45 p.m.), while the Boston Bruins face the Sabres (7:30 p.m.) in Buffalo. The Utah Mammoth take on the Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m.).
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The final series begins Monday (10 p.m.) with the Edmonton Oilers hosting the Anaheim Ducks. The Oilers defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-1 on Thursday night to finish second in the Pacific Division, while the Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 to finish third and two points ahead of the Kings.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press