At last the time has come. The 2022 NHL playoffs are set to begin,
Sixteen teams will compete for the Stanley Cup, eight in the Eastern Conference and eight in the Western Conference. The field will slowly decrease from 16 to eight to four and finally to two.
The Lightning are the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, having defeated the Stars in 2020 and the Canadiens in 2021. Tampa Bay is one of 16 teams seeking that trophy in 2022.
There are some exciting matchups in the first round, including the Bruins and Hurricanes, who will kick off their series on Monday night.
Here’s all the TV and schedule info you need for the first round of the 2022 NHL playoffs:
MORE: Explaining hockey’s postseason format
NHL Playoffs 2022: TV Channels, Live Streaming
- Television (USA): ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, TNT, TBS
- Television (Canada): Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, CBC, TVA Sports
- Transmission (USA): ESPN+, fuboTV (free trial), sling tv
- Current (Canada): serial number now, YN NOW+
Postseason telecasts will be split between the ESPN family of networks and Turner’s networks as part of media rights deals the two companies signed last summer. Both will air first-round and second-round series, with each network airing a conference finals series. The Stanley Cup Final will air exclusively on ESPN.
Sportsnet will air all series in Canada. CBC will show some series.
How will the NHL playoffs work in 2022?
Here’s a quick overview of how the 2022 postseason will work:
- Eight teams in each conference make it to the postseason: the top three teams in each division and two wild-card teams.
- In the first round, the division winners play the wild card teams, while the second and third place teams from each division face off.
- The winners of the first round from each conference will meet in the second round. The winner of the series with the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in a division plays the winner of the series with the winner of their division playing the wild card team. For example, for this postseason, the winner of Panthers-Capitals plays the winner of Maple Leafs-Lightning, regardless of whether or not he wins the lowest seed, keeping the division “together” in bracket.
- The winners of the second-round series will meet in the conference finals.
- The conference champions will meet in the Stanley Cup Final.
MORE: Which team has won the most Stanley Cups?
NHL playoff schedule, results by series
(All times Eastern)
(*If necessary.)
First round
Eastern Conference: (A1) Florida Panthers vs. (WC2) Washington Capitals
| Date | Place | Time (ET) | TELEVISION |
| Tue, May 3 | in Florida | 7:30 pm | ESPN2, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Thu. May 5th | in Florida | 7:30 pm | TBS, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Saturday, May 7 | in washington | 13:00 | ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| Mon. May 9 | in washington | 19:00 | TBS, SN1, TVA Sports |
| *Wednesday, May 11 | in Florida | Determined | Determined |
| *Friday, May 13 | in washington | Determined | Determined |
| *Sun, May 15 | in Florida | Determined | Determined |
Eastern Conference: (M1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins
| Date | Place | Time (ET) | TELEVISION |
| Mon, May 2 | in Carolina | 19:00 | ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Wednesday, May 4 | in Carolina | 19:00 | ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Friday, May 6 | in Boston | 19:00 | TNT, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Sun, May 8 | in Boston | 12:30 pm | ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| *Tue, May 10 | in Carolina | Determined | Determined |
| *Thursday May 12 | in Boston | Determined | Determined |
| *Saturday, May 14 | in Carolina | Determined | Determined |
Eastern Conference: (A2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (A3) Tampa Bay Lightning
| Date | Place | Time (ET) | TELEVISION |
| Mon, May 2 | in toronto | 7:30 pm | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Wednesday, May 4 | in toronto | 7:30 pm | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Friday, May 6 | in tampa bay | 7:30 pm | TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Sun, May 8 | in tampa bay | 7:30 pm | TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| *Tue, May 10 | in toronto | Determined | Determined |
| *Thursday May 12 | in tampa bay | Determined | Determined |
| *Saturday, May 14 | in toronto | Determined | Determined |
Eastern Conference: (M2) New York Rangers vs. (M3) Pittsburgh Penguins
| Date | Place | Time (ET) | TELEVISION |
| Tue, May 3 | In New York | 19:00 | ESPN, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Thu, May 5 | In New York | 19:00 | TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Saturday, May 7 | in pittsburgh | 19:00 | TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Mon, May 9 | in pittsburgh | 19:00 | ESPN, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| *Wednesday, May 11 | In New York | Determined | Determined |
| *Friday, May 13 | in pittsburgh | Determined | Determined |
| *Sun, May 15 | In New York | Determined | Determined |
Western Conference: (C1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) Nashville Predators
| Date | Place | Time (ET) | TELEVISION |
| Tue, May 3 | in colorado | 9:30 pm | ESPN, SNE, SN360 (JIP), Sports TVA |
| Thu, May 5 | in colorado | 9:30 pm | TNT, SNE, SN360 (JIP), Sports TVA |
| Saturday, May 7 | in Nashville | 16:00 | TNT, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| Mon, May 9 | in Nashville | 9:30 pm | ESPN, SN1, Sports TVA |
| *Wednesday, May 11 | in colorado | Determined | Determined |
| *Friday, May 13 | in Nashville | Determined | Determined |
| *Sun, May 15 | in colorado | Determined | Determined |
Western Conference: (P1) Calgary Flames vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars
| Date | Place | Time (ET) | TELEVISION |
| Tue, May 3 | in Calgary | 22:00 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Thu, May 5 | in Calgary | 22:00 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, TBS |
| Saturday, May 7 | in dallas | 9:30 pm | TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Mon, May 9 | in dallas | 9:30 pm | TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| *Wednesday, May 11 | in Calgary | Determined | Determined |
| *Friday, May 13 | in dallas | Determined | Determined |
| *Sun, May 15 | in Calgary | Determined | Determined |
Western Conference: (C2) Minnesota Wild vs. (C3) St.Louis Blues
| Date | Place | Time (ET) | TELEVISION |
| Mon, May 2 | in minnesota | 9:30 pm | ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Wednesday, May 4 | in minnesota | 9:30 pm | ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Friday, May 6 | in Saint Louis | 9:30 pm | TNT, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Sun, May 8 | in Saint Louis | 4:30 pm | TNT, SN360, TVA Sports |
| *Tue, May 10 | in minnesota | Determined | Determined |
| *Thursday May 12 | in Saint Louis | Determined | Determined |
| *Saturday, May 14 | in minnesota | Determined | Determined |
Western Conference: (P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P3) Los Angeles Kings
| Date | Place | Time (ET) | TELEVISION |
| Mon, May 2 | in Edmonton | 22:00 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Wednesday, May 4 | in Edmonton | 22:00 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Friday, May 6 | in Los Angeles | 22:00 | TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Sun, May 8 | in Los Angeles | 22:00 | TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| *Tue, May 10 | in Edmonton | Determined | Determined |
| *Thursday May 12 | in Los Angeles | Determined | Determined |
| *Saturday, May 14 | in Edmonton | Determined | Determined |
Reference-www.sportingnews.com