NHL sets Round 1 schedule for 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The hunt for Lord Stanley’s silver chalice begins on Monday.

After a 200-day regular season that saw the NHL navigate a pandemic hiatus with empty buildings and celebrate historic offensive seasons from some of the game’s brightest stars, the playoffs are finally upon us.

Day 200 was not without drama. Even though the eight Eastern Conference playoff teams have been known since January, it took until the last day of the season to establish the range. The Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars battled for wildcard positioning in the West until the bitter end of the night.

Now, with the parenthesis game, it’s time to expect the unexpected.

This year’s program is somewhat symmetrical. There are no double days off in any series, unlike in years past. Each series takes place every other day, with half of the eight series beginning on May 2 and the other half on May 3.

The four-round slog for the toughest trophy to win in sport is set to conclude by June 30, the final possible day of the Stanley Cup Final.

Here is the schedule for Round 1 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

Eastern Conference

#A1 Florida Panthers vs. #WC2 Washington Capitals

#A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. #A3 Tampa Bay Lightning

#M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs #WC1 Boston Bruins

#M2 New York Rangers vs #M3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

#C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. #WC2 Nashville Predators

#C2 Minnesota Wild vs. #C3 St. Louis Blues

#P1 Calgary Flames vs. #WC1 Dallas Stars

#P2 Edmonton Oilers vs #P3 Los Angeles Kings

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