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Jack McKessyUSA TODAY
The race for the Stanley Cup has begun. Sixteen NHL playoff teams have started their battles to be the last team skating. Who will hoist the Cup in the end?
Contenders in the Eastern Conference look strong with the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers among favorites.
The Hurricanes, in particular, are off to a good start in the playoffs having built a 2-0 lead in their series with the New York Islanders. Carolina came back from a 3-0 deficit to win Game 2 in regulation Monday night.
The West has its own goliaths in the Connor McDavid-led Edmonton Oilers, the Vancouver Canucks and the 2019-20 conference champion Dallas Stars.
Edmonton got off to the hottest start of any playoff team so far when it scored an astonishing seven goals against the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 on Monday. McDavid tallied five assists and left winger Zach Hyman pulled off a hat trick.
Here's the latest bracket, results, schedule and odds for this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: Scores, schedule, times, TV for first-round games
NHL playoffs bracket
Winners from round 1 face winners in their divisional part of the bracket in round 2. Round 2 winners face off in the conference finals.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
- Florida Panthers (Atlantic 1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (wild card 1)
- Boston Bruins (Atlantic 2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (Atlantic 3)
Metropolitan Division
- New York Rangers (Metropolitan 1) vs. Washington Capitals (wild card 2)
- Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan 2) vs. New York Islanders (Metropolitan 3)
Western Conference
Central Division
- Dallas Stars (Central 1) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (wild card 2)
- Winnipeg Jets (Central 2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (Central 3)
Pacific Division
- Vancouver Canucks (Pacific 1) vs. Nashville Predators (wild card 1)
- Edmonton Oilers (Pacific 2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (Pacific 3)
WATCH: Islanders give up two goals in nine seconds, blow 3-0 lead in loss to Hurricanes
NHL playoffs: Eastern Conference schedule, results
All times p.m. ET.
Florida Panthers (Atlantic 1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (wild card 1)
Panthers lead series 2-0
- Game 1:Panthers 3, Lightning 2
- Game 2:Panthers 3, Lightning 2 (OT)
- Game 3:April 25, Panthers at Lightning, 7 TBS
- Game 4:April 27, Panthers at Lightning, 5, TBS
- Game 5:April 29, Lightning at Panthers, TBD
- Game 6:May 1, Panthers at Lightning, TBD
- Game 7:May 4, Lightning at Panthers, TBD
Boston Bruins (Atlantic 2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (Atlantic 3)
Series tied 1-1
- Game 1:Bruins 5, Maple Leafs 1
- Game 2:Maple Leafs 3, Bruins 2
- Game 3:April 24, Bruins at Maple Leafs, 7, ESPN
- Game 4:April 27: Bruins at Maple Leafs, 8, TBS, truTV
- Game 5:April 30, Maple Leafs at Bruins, TBD
- Game 6:May 2, Bruins at Maple Leafs, TBD
- Game 7:May 4, Maple Leafs at Bruins, TBD
New York Rangers (Metropolitan 1) vs. Washington Capitals (wild card 2)
Rangers lead series 2-0
- Game 1:Rangers 4, Capitals 1
- Game 2:Rangers 4, Capitals 3
- Game 3:April 26, Rangers at Capitals, 7, TNT, truTV
- Game 4:April 28, Rangers at Capitals, 8, TBS, truTV
- Game 5:May 1, Capitals at Rangers, TBD
- Game 6:May 3, Rangers at Capitals, TBD
- Game 7:May 5, Capitals at Rangers, TBD
Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan 2) vs. New York Islanders (Metropolitan 3)
Hurricanes lead series 2-0
- Game 1:Hurricanes 3, Islanders 1
- Game 2:Hurricanes 5, Islanders 3
- Game 3:April 25, Hurricanes at Islanders, 7:30, ESPN2
- Game 4:April 27, Hurricanes at Islanders, 2, TBS, truTV
- Game 5:April 30, Islanders at Hurricanes, TBD
- Game 6:May 2, Hurricanes at Islanders, TBD
- Game 7:May 4, Islanders at Hurricanes, TBD
NHL playoffs: Western Conference schedule, results
Dallas Stars (Central 1) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (wild card 2)
Golden Knights lead series 1-0
- Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Stars 3
- Game 2: April 24, Golden Knights at Stars, 9:30, ESPN
- Game 3: April 27, Stars at Golden Knights, 10:30, TBS, truTV
- Game 4: April 29, Stars at Golden Knights, TBD
- Game 5: May 1, Golden Knights at Stars, TBD
- Game 6: May 3, Stars at Golden Knights, TBD
- Game 7: May 5, Golden Knights at Stars, TBD
Winnipeg Jets (Central 2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (Central 3)
Series tied 1-1
- Game 1:Jets 7, Avalanche 6
- Game 2:Avalanche 5, Jets 2
- Game 3:April 26, Jets at Avalanche, April 26, TNT
- Game 4:April 28, Jets at Avalanche, 2:30, TNT, truTV
- Game 5:April 30, Avalanche at Jets, TBD
- Game 6:May 2, Jets at Avalanche, TBD
- Game 7:May 4, Avalanche at Jets, TBD
Vancouver Canucks (Pacific 1) vs. Nashville Predators (wild card 1)
Series tied 1-1
- Game 1:Canucks 4, Predators 2
- Game 2:Predators 4, Canucks 1
- Game 3:April 26, Canucks at Predators, 7:30, TBS
- Game 4:April 28, Canucks at Predators, 5, TBS, truTV
- Game 5:April 30, Predators at Canucks, TBD
- Game 6:May 3, Canucks at Predators, TBD
- Game 7:May 5, Predators at Canucks, TBD
Edmonton Oilers (Pacific 2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (Pacific 3)
Oilers lead series 1-0
- Game 1:Oilers 7, Kings 4
- Game 2:April 24, Kings at Oilers, 10, TBS
- Game 3:April 26, Oilers at Kings, 10:30, TBS
- Game 4:April 28, Oilers at Kings, 10:30, TBS, truTV
- Game 5:May 1, Kings at Oilers, TBD
- Game 6:May 3, Oilers at Kings, TBD
- Game 7:May 5, Kings at Oilers, TBD
WINNERS AND LOSERS: NHL playoffs: Mark Stone scores, Islanders collapse
NHL playoffs: Stanley Cup champion odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday.
- 1. Carolina Hurricanes (+450)
- 2. Florida Panthers (+550)
- 3. Edmonton Oilers (+600)
- 4. New York Rangers (+650)
- T-5. Vegas Golden Knights (+1000)
- T-5. Colorado Avalanche (+1000)
- 7. Dallas Stars (+1200)
- 8. Boston Bruins (+1400)
- 9. Toronto Maple Leafs (+1600)
- T-10. Vancouver Canucks (+1800)
- T-10. Winnipeg Jets (+1800)
- 12. Nashville Predators (+3500)
- 13. Los Angeles Kings (+4000)
- 14. Tampa Bay Lightning (+6600)
- 15. New York Islanders (+17500)
- 16. Washington Capitals (+50000)
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