Stanley Cup NHL playoffs 2018: Bracket, schedule, scores, and more
Welcome to the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs! The defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to three-peat, while the Las Vegas Golden Knights are making their first appearance after finishing their debut season with 47 wins.
Here is everything you need to know to keep track of the playoffs from the opening night of the first round through the Stanley Cup Finals: We’ve got regular-season standings, playoff schedules and NHL live stream information, and even the Stanley Cup playoff bracket.
NHL playoff format
The format for the Stanley Cup Playoffs has the top three teams from each division (Atlantic, Central, Metropolitan, Pacific) receiving an automatic berth to the postseason. The other four playoff spots go to the two wild card teams in each conference.
Therefore, the top seeds in both conferences play the lower-seeded wild card teams in the first round, while the other division winners will drop the puck against the other wild card teams.
Stanley Cup playoff teams
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
- Tampa Bay Lightning - 113 points
- Boston Bruins - 112 points
- Toronto Maple Leafs - 105 points
Metropolitan Division
- Washington Capitals - 105 points
- Pittsburgh Penguins - 100 points
- Philadelphia Flyers - 98 points
Wild cards
- Columbus Blue Jackets - 97 points
- New Jersey Devils - 97 points
Western Conference
Central Division
- Nashville Predators - 117 points
- Winnipeg Jets - 114 points
- Minnesota Wild - 101 points
Pacific Division
- Vegas Golden Knights - 109 points
- Anaheim Ducks - 101 points
- San Jose Sharks - 100 points
Wild cards
- Los Angeles Kings - 98 points
- Colorado Avalanche - 95 points
Bracket
It's go time. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/EaHCpFLdRm
— NHL (@NHL) April 9, 2018
Schedule
All times ET
*if necessary
First round
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. WC New Jersey
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Devils at Lightning, 7 p.m. (NHL Network, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 2 - Saturday, April 14: Devils at Lightning, 3 p.m. (NBC, CNBC, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 3 - Monday, April 16: Lightning at Devils, 7:30 pm. (CNBC, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 18: Lightning at Devils, 7:30 p.m. (GOLF, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 5* - Saturday, April 21: Devils at Lightning, TBD (TBD)
Game 6* - Monday, April 23: Lightning at Devils, TBD (TBD)
Game 7* - Wednesday, April 25: Devils at Lightning, TBD (TBD)
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 3 Toronto
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Maple Leafs at Bruins, 7 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 2 - Saturday, April 14: Maple Leafs at Bruins, 8 p.m. (NBC, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 3 - Monday, April 16: Bruins at Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. (CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN)
Game 4 - Thursday, April 19: Bruins at Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. (CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN)
Game 5* - Saturday, April 21: Maple Leafs at Bruins, TBD (TBD)
Game 6* - Monday, April 23: Bruins at Maple Leafs, TBD (TBD)
Game 7* - Wednesday, April 25: Maple Leafs at Bruins, TBD (TBD)
No. 1 Washington vs. WC Columbus
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Blue Jackets at Capitals, 7:30 p.m. (USA, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 2 - Sunday, April 15: Blue Jackets at Capitals, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 3 - Tuesday, April 17: Capitals at Blue Jackets, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 4 - Thursday, April 19: Capitals at Blue Jackets, 7:30 p.m. (USA, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 5* - Saturday, April 21: Blue Jackets at Capitals, TBD (TBD)
Game 6* - Monday, April 23: Capitals at Blue Jackets, TBD (TBD)
Game 7* - Wednesday, April 25: Blue Jackets at Capitals, TBD (TBD)
No. 2 Pittsburgh vs. No. 3 Philadelphia
Game 1 - Wednesday, April 11: Flyers at Penguins, 7 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 2 - Friday, April 13: Flyers at Penguins, 7 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 3 - Sunday, April 15: Penguins at Flyers, 3 p.m. (NBC, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 18: Penguins at Flyers, 7 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 5* - Friday, April 20: Flyers at Penguins, TBD (TBD)
Game 6* - Sunday, April 22: Penguins at Flyers, TBD (TBD)
Game 7* - Tuesday, April 24: Flyers at Penguins, TBD (TBD)
Western Conference
No. 1 Nashville vs. WC Colorado
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Avalanche at Predators, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 2 - Saturday, April 14: Avalanche at Predators, 3 p.m. (NBC, CNBC, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 3 - Monday, April 16: Predators at Avalanche, 10 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 18: Predators at Avalanche, 10 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 5* - Friday, April 20: Avalanche at Predators, TBD (TBD)
Game 6* - Sunday, April 22: Predators at Avalanche, TBD (TBD)
Game 7* - Tuesday, April 24: Avalanche at Predators, TBD (TBD)
No. 2 Winnipeg vs. No. 3 Minnesota
Game 1 - Wednesday, April 11: Wild at Jets, 7 p.m. (SN, TVA Sports, CNBC)
Game 2 - Friday, April 13: Wild at Jets, 7:30 p.m. (SN, TVA Sports, USA)
Game 3 - Sunday, April 15: Jets at Wild, 7 p.m. (USA, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 4 - Tuesday, April 17: Jets at Wild, 8 p.m. (CNBC, SN, TVA Sports)
Game 5* - Friday, April 20: Wild at Jets, TBD (TBD)
Game 6* - Sunday, April 22: Jets at Wild, TBD (TBD)
Game 7* - Wednesday, April 25: Wild at Jets, TBD (TBD)
No. 1 Las Vegas vs. WC Los Angeles
Game 1 - Wednesday, April 11: Kings at Golden Knights, 10 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 2 - Friday, April 13: Kings at Golden Knights, 10 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 3 - Sunday, April 15: Golden Knights at Kings, 10:30 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 4 - Tuesday, April 17: Golden Knights at Kings, 10:30 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 5* - Thursday, April 19: Kings at Golden Knights, 10 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)
Game 6* - Saturday, April 21: Golden Knights at Kings, TBD (TBD)
Game 7* - Monday, April 23: Kings at Golden Knights, TBD (TBD)
No. 2 Anaheim vs. No. 3 San Jose
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Sharks at Ducks, 10:30 p.m. (USA, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 2 - Saturday, April 14: Sharks at Ducks, 10:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports)
Game 3 - Monday, April 16: Ducks at Sharks, 10:30 p.m. (CNBC, SN1, TVA Sports)
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 18: Ducks at Sharks, 10:30 p.m. (GOLF, SN1, TVA Sports)
Game 5* - Friday, April 20: Sharks at Ducks, TBD (TBD)
Game 6* - Sunday, April 22: Ducks at Sharks, TBD (TBD)
Game 7* - Tuesday, April 24: Sharks at Ducks, TBD (TBD)