The NHL playoff bracket has plenty of intriguing matchups and lots of competitiveness.
So far, only one series is on the verge of a sweep. The Toronto Maple Leafs led the Ottawa Senators 3-0 heading into Saturday’s games. The Panthers led the Lightning 2-0 heading into Saturday in a series that saw Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel suspended for a hit that injured Florida captain Aleksander Barkov.
The other series were 2-1 heading into Saturday. The St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers picked up their first wins in Game 3. The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild overcame Game 1 losses to lead their series.
Here are the playoff matchups, schedule and results for the first round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs (all times p.m. ET, series are best of seven):
NHL playoff games today (Saturday, April 26)
Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers, 1, TBS, truTV
Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild, 4, TBS, truTV
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators, 7, TBS, truTV
Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche, 9:30, TBS, truTV
Eastern Conference NHL playoff schedule
Key: M-Metropolitan; A-Atlantic; WC-wild card; x-if necessary
Streaming: Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games
Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (WC2)
Capitals lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Capitals 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) | Story
- Game 2: Capitals 3, Canadiens 1
- Game 3: Canadiens 6, Capitals 3 | Story
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, 6:30, Capitals at Canadiens, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Canadiens at Capitals, 7, ESPN
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Capitals at Canadiens, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Canadiens at Capitals, TBD
Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs. New Jersey Devils (M3)
Hurricanes lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Hurricanes 4, Devils 1
- Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Devils 1
- Game 3: Devils 3, Hurricanes 2 (2OT) | Story
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Hurricanes at Devils, 3:30, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Devils at Hurricanes, TBD
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Hurricanes at Devils, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Devils at Hurricanes, TBD
Toronto Maple Leafs (A1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC1)
Maple Leafs lead series 3-0
- Game 1: Maple Leafs 6, Senators 2
- Game 2: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT)
- Game 3: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT)
- Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Maple Leafs at Senators, 7, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Senators at Maple Leafs, TBD
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 1, Maple Leafs at Senators, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Senators at Maple Leafs, TBD
Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Florida Panthers (A3)
Panthers lead series 2-0
- Game 1: Panthers 6, Lightning 2
- Game 2: Panthers 2, Lightning 0 | Story
- Game 3: Saturday, April 26, Lightning at Panthers, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 4: Monday, April 28, Lightning at Panthers, 7, ESPN
- x-Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Panthers at Lightning, 7:30, ESPN2
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Lightning at Panthers, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Panthers at Lightning, TBD
Western Conference NHL playoff schedule
Key: C-Central; P-Pacific; WC-wild card, x-if necessary
Streaming:Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games
Winnipeg Jets (C1) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2)
Jets lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Jets 5, Blues 3
- Game 2: Jets 2, Blues 1
- Game 3: Blues 7, Jets 2
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Jets at Blues, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Blues at Jets, 9:30, ESPN
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Jets at Blues, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Blues at Jets, TBD
Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3)
Stars lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Avalanche 5, Stars 1
- Game 2: Stars 4, Avalanche 3 (OT) | Story
- Game 3: Stars 2, Avalanche 1 (OT) | Story
- Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Stars at Avalanche, 9:30, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 5: Monday, April 28, Avalanche at Stars, 9:30, ESPN
- x-Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Stars at Avalanche, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Avalanche at Stars, TBD
Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC1)
Wild lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Wild 2
- Game 2: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2
- Game 3: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2
- Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Golden Knights at Wild, 4, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Wild at Golden Knights, TBD
- x-Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Golden Knights at Wild, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Wild at Golden Knights, TBD
Los Angeles Kings (P2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3)
Kings lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Kings 6, Oilers 5 | Story
- Game 2: Kings 6, Oilers 2
- Game 3: Oilers 7, Kings 4 | Story
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Kings at Oilers, 9:30,TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Oilers at Kings, TBD
- x-Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Kings at Oilers, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Oilers at Kings, TBD
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 NHL playoffs: Schedule, bracket, results, TV for each series
The NHL playoff bracket has plenty of intriguing matchups and lots of competitiveness.
So far, only one series is on the verge of a sweep. The Toronto Maple Leafs led the Ottawa Senators 3-0 heading into Saturday’s games. The Panthers led the Lightning 2-0 heading into Saturday in a series that saw Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel suspended for a hit that injured Florida captain Aleksander Barkov.
The other series were 2-1 heading into Saturday. The St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers picked up their first wins in Game 3. The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild overcame Game 1 losses to lead their series.
Here are the playoff matchups, schedule and results for the first round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs (all times p.m. ET, series are best of seven):
NHL playoff games today (Saturday, April 26)
Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers, 1, TBS, truTV
Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild, 4, TBS, truTV
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators, 7, TBS, truTV
Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche, 9:30, TBS, truTV
Eastern Conference NHL playoff schedule
Key: M-Metropolitan; A-Atlantic; WC-wild card; x-if necessary
Streaming: Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games
Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (WC2)
Capitals lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Capitals 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) | Story
- Game 2: Capitals 3, Canadiens 1
- Game 3: Canadiens 6, Capitals 3 | Story
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, 6:30, Capitals at Canadiens, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Canadiens at Capitals, 7, ESPN
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Capitals at Canadiens, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Canadiens at Capitals, TBD
Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs. New Jersey Devils (M3)
Hurricanes lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Hurricanes 4, Devils 1
- Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Devils 1
- Game 3: Devils 3, Hurricanes 2 (2OT) | Story
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Hurricanes at Devils, 3:30, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Devils at Hurricanes, TBD
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Hurricanes at Devils, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Devils at Hurricanes, TBD
Toronto Maple Leafs (A1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC1)
Maple Leafs lead series 3-0
- Game 1: Maple Leafs 6, Senators 2
- Game 2: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT)
- Game 3: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT)
- Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Maple Leafs at Senators, 7, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Senators at Maple Leafs, TBD
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 1, Maple Leafs at Senators, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Senators at Maple Leafs, TBD
Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Florida Panthers (A3)
Panthers lead series 2-0
- Game 1: Panthers 6, Lightning 2
- Game 2: Panthers 2, Lightning 0 | Story
- Game 3: Saturday, April 26, Lightning at Panthers, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 4: Monday, April 28, Lightning at Panthers, 7, ESPN
- x-Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Panthers at Lightning, 7:30, ESPN2
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Lightning at Panthers, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Panthers at Lightning, TBD
Western Conference NHL playoff schedule
Key: C-Central; P-Pacific; WC-wild card, x-if necessary
Streaming:Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games
Winnipeg Jets (C1) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2)
Jets lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Jets 5, Blues 3
- Game 2: Jets 2, Blues 1
- Game 3: Blues 7, Jets 2
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Jets at Blues, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Blues at Jets, 9:30, ESPN
- x-Game 6: Friday, May 2, Jets at Blues, TBD
- x-Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Blues at Jets, TBD
Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3)
Stars lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Avalanche 5, Stars 1
- Game 2: Stars 4, Avalanche 3 (OT) | Story
- Game 3: Stars 2, Avalanche 1 (OT) | Story
- Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Stars at Avalanche, 9:30, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 5: Monday, April 28, Avalanche at Stars, 9:30, ESPN
- x-Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Stars at Avalanche, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Avalanche at Stars, TBD
Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC1)
Wild lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Wild 2
- Game 2: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2
- Game 3: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2
- Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Golden Knights at Wild, 4, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Wild at Golden Knights, TBD
- x-Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Golden Knights at Wild, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Wild at Golden Knights, TBD
Los Angeles Kings (P2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3)
Kings lead series 2-1
- Game 1: Kings 6, Oilers 5 | Story
- Game 2: Kings 6, Oilers 2
- Game 3: Oilers 7, Kings 4 | Story
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Kings at Oilers, 9:30,TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Oilers at Kings, TBD
- x-Game 6: Thursday, May 1, Kings at Oilers, TBD
- x-Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Oilers at Kings, TBD
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 NHL playoffs: Schedule, bracket, results, TV for each series
