Scores and updates throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs
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 (4) beats WC New Jersey (1)
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Lightning 5, Devils 2
Game 2 - Saturday, April 14: Lightning 5, Devils 3
Game 3 - Monday, April 16: Devils 5, Lightning 2
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 18: Lightning 3, Devils 1
Game 5 - Saturday, April 21: Lightning 3, Devils 1
No. 2 Boston (4) beats No. 3 Toronto (3)
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Bruins 5, Maple Leafs 1
Game 2 - Saturday, April 14: Bruins 7, Maple Leafs 3
Game 3 - Monday, April 16: Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 2
Game 4 - Thursday, April 19: Bruins 3, Maple Leafs 1
Game 5 - Saturday, April 21: Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 3
Game 6 - Monday, April 23: Maple Leafs 3, Bruins 1
Game 7 - Wednesday, April 25: Bruins 7, Maple Leafs 4
No. 1 Washington (4) beats WC Columbus (2)
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Blue Jackets 4, Capitals 3 (OT)
Game 2 - Sunday, April 15: Blue Jackets 5, Capitals 4 (OT)
Game 3 - Tuesday, April 17: Capitals 3, Blue Jackets 2 (2 OT)
Game 4 - Thursday, April 19: Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 1
Game 5 - Saturday, April 21: Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 3 (OT)
Game 6 - Monday, April 23: Capitals 6, Blue Jackets 3
No. 2 Pittsburgh (4) beats. No. 3 Philadelphia (2)
Game 1 - Wednesday, April 11: Penguins 7, Flyers 0
Game 2 - Friday, April 13: Flyers 5, Penguins 1
Game 3 - Sunday, April 15: Penguins 5, Flyers 1
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 18: Penguins 5, Flyers 0
Game 5 - Friday, April 20: Flyers 4, Penguins 2
Game 6 - Sunday, April 22: Penguins 8, Flyers 5
Western Conference
No. 1 Nashville (4) beats WC Colorado (2)
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Predators 5, Avalanche 2
Game 2 - Saturday, April 14: Predators 5, Avalanche 4
Game 3 - Monday, April 16: Avalanche 5, Predators 3
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 18: Predators 3, Avalanche 2
Game 5 - Friday, April 20: Avalanche 2, Predators 1
Game 6 - Sunday, April 22: Predators 5, Avalanche 0
No. 2 Winnipeg (4) beats No. 3 Minnesota (1)
Game 1 - Wednesday, April 11: Jets 3, Wild 2
Game 2 - Friday, April 13: Jets 4, Wild 1
Game 3 - Sunday, April 15: Wild 6, Jets 2
Game 4 - Tuesday, April 17: Jets 2, Wild 0
Game 5 - Friday, April 20: Jets 5, Wild 0
No. 1 Las Vegas (4) beats WC Los Angeles (0)
Game 1 - Wednesday, April 11: Golden Knights 1, Kings 0
Game 2 - Friday, April 13: Golden Knights 2, Kings 1 (2OT)
Game 3 - Sunday, April 15: Golden Knights 3, Kings 2
Game 4 - Tuesday, April 17: Golden Knights 1, Kings 0
No. 3 San Jose (4) beats No. 2 Anaheim (0)
Game 1 - Thursday, April 12: Sharks 3, Ducks 0
Game 2 - Saturday, April 14: Sharks 3, Ducks 2
Game 3 - Monday, April 16: Sharks 8, Ducks 1
Game 4 - Wednesday, April 18: Sharks 2, Ducks 1