Oiler Hockey Blog

NHL announces Round 1 playoff schedule

The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially here.

While six of eight matchups were already known, the remaining two were finalized after the conclusion of Thursday's action.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime on Thursday, passing the Vegas Golden Knights in the standings after the defending Stanley Cup champs lost to the Anaheim Ducks. That moves the Kings into third place in the Pacific Division to take on the Edmonton Oilers in Round 1 for the third year in a row. That result also dropped the Golden Knights to the second wild-card spot to set up a 2023 Western Conference Final rematch with the top-seeded Dallas Stars.

The NHL also unveiled the entire schedule for Round 1.

All times ET.
*If necessary

Atlantic Division

Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / Getty

Florida Panthers (A1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1)

Game Date Time Home Team 1 April 21 12:30 p.m. Panthers 2 April 23 7:30 p.m. Panthers 3 April 25 7 p.m. Lightning 4 April 27 5 p.m. Lightning 5* April 29 TBD Panthers 6* May 1 TBD Lightning 7* May 4 TBD Panthers

Boston Bruins (A2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (A3)

Game Date Time Home Team 1 April 20 8 p.m. Bruins 2 April 22 7 p.m. Bruins 3 April 24 7 p.m. Maple Leafs 4 April 27 8 p.m. Maple Leafs 5* April 30 TBD Bruins 6* May 2 TBD Maple Leafs 7* May 4 TBD Bruins

Metropolitan Division

Jared Silber / National Hockey League / Getty

New York Rangers (M1) vs. Washington Capitals (WC2)

Game Date Time Home Team 1 April 21 3 p.m. Rangers 2 April 23 7 p.m. Rangers 3 April 26 7 p.m. Capitals 4 April 28 8 p.m. Capitals 5* May 1 TBD Rangers 6* May 3 TBD Capitals 7* May 5 TBD Rangers

Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs. New York Islanders (M3)

Game Date Time Home Team 1 April 20 3 p.m. Hurricanes 2 April 22 7:30 p.m. Hurricanes 3 April 25 7:30 p.m. Islanders 4 April 27 2 p.m. Islanders 5* April 30 TBD Hurricanes 6* May 2 TBD Islanders 7* May 4 TBD Hurricanes

Central Division

Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Dallas Stars (C1) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (WC2)

Game Date Time Home Team 1 April 22 9:30 p.m. Stars 2 April 24 9:30 p.m. Stars 3 April 27 10:30 p.m. Golden Knights 4 April 29 TBD Golden Knights 5* May 1 TBD Stars 6* May 3 TBD Golden Knights 7* May 5 TBD Stars

Winnipeg Jets (C2) vs. Colorado Avlanche (C3)

Game Date Time Home Team 1 April 21 7 p.m. Jets 2 April 23 9:30 p.m. Jets 3 April 26 10 p.m. Avalanche 4 April 28 2:30 p.m. Avalanche 5* April 30 TBD Jets 6* May 2 TBD Avalanche 7* May 4 TBD Jets

Pacific Division

Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / Getty

Vancouver Canucks (P1) vs. Nashville Predators (WC1)

Game Date Time Home Team 1 April 21 10 p.m. Canucks 2 April 23 10 p.m. Canucks 3 April 26 7:30 p.m. Predators 4 April 28 5 p.m. Predators 5* April 30 TBD Canucks 6* May 3 TBD Predators 7* May 5 TBD Canucks

Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (P3)

Game Date Time Home Team 1 April 22 10 p.m. Oilers 2 April 24 10 p.m. Oilers 3 April 26 10:30 p.m. Kings 4 April 28 10:30 p.m. Kings 5* May 1 TBD Oilers 6* May 3 TBD Kings 7* May 5 TBD Oilers

Originally posted on The Score