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Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, game previews for the NHL's postseason

From the first round all the way through the Stanley Cup Final, ESPN has you covered. Explore the full results, and coverage on each team.

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Walker Buehler stymies the Reds with 6 dominant innings in the streaking Dodgers' 4-0 victory

— Walker Buehler pitched six sharp innings with seven strikeouts in his third start since returning from Tommy John surgery, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.

NBA playoffs 2024: Conference semifinals news, schedule, scores and highlights

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Rangers outlast Angels 3-2 in 13 innings when Lowe gets hit by pitch

— Nathaniel Lowe was hit by a pitch from Carson Fulmer with the bases loaded in the 13th inning, forcing home the winning run as the Texas Rangers outlasted the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on Saturday night.

The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs are here! The NHL's 32 teams are down to just five left in the second round, after a thrilling first eight matchups in the first.

Will the New York Rangers parlay their success in winning the Presidents' Trophy to a championship -- thus breaking the "curse" of that award? Are the Dallas Stars now the team to beat after knocking off the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights and 2022 champion Colorado Avalanche?

Read on for the full playoff coverage from every first-round series all the way through the Stanley Cup Final.

More: Playoff schedule Conn Smythe Watch Lapsed fan's guide Wyshynski's bracket Top 50 players Cup contender comps

Conference finals Eastern Conference

M1 New York Rangers vs.

A1 Florida Panthers

Path to Conference finals:

Rangers: defeated Capitals 4-0; defeated Hurricanes 4-2 Panthers: defeated Lightning 4-1; defeated Bruins 4-2

Leading scorers in playoffs:

Rangers: Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck (14 points) Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov (13 points)

Schedule:

Game 1: FLA @ NYR | May 22, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN/ESPN+)  Game 2: FLA @ NYR | May 24, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN/ESPN+) Game 3: NYR @ FLA | May 26, 3 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN+) Game 4: NYR @ FLA | May 28, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN/ESPN+) Game 5: FLA @ NYR | May 30, 8 p.m. ET* (ESPN/ESPN+) Game 6: NYR @ FLA | June 1, 8 p.m. ET* (ABC/ESPN+) Game 7: FLA @ NYR | June 3, 8 p.m. ET* (ESPN/ESPN+)

Western Conference

C1 Dallas Stars vs. Pacific Division winner

Schedule:

Game 1: TBD @ DAL | May 23, 8:30 p.m. ET (TNT)  Game 2: TBD @ DAL | May 25, 8 p.m. ET (TNT) Game 3: DAL @ TBD | May 27, TBD ET (TNT) Game 4: DAL @ TBD | May 29, TBD ET (TNT) Game 5: TBD @ DAL | May 31, TBD ET* (TNT) Game 6: DAL @ TBD | June 2, TBD ET* (TNT) Game 7: TBD @ DAL | June 4, TBD ET* (TNT)

Second round Atlantic Division

A1 Florida Panthers vs.

A2 Boston Bruins

Path to Round 2:

Panthers: defeated Lightning 4-1 Bruins: defeated Maple Leafs 4-3

Leading scorers in Round 1:

Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe (9 points) Bruins: Brad Marchand (8 points)

Schedule: (FLA wins 4-2)

Keys to the offseason for the Bruins

Game 1: BOS 5, FLA 1 | Recap | Replay Game 2: FLA 6, BOS 1 | Recap | Replay Game 3: FLA 6, BOS 2 | Recap | Replay Game 4: FLA 3, BOS 2 | Recap | Replay Game 5: BOS 2, FLA 1 | Recap | Replay Game 6: FLA 2, BOS 1 | Recap

Consensus pick: Panthers

Metropolitan Division

M1 New York Rangers vs.

M2 Carolina Hurricanes

Path to Round 2:

Rangers: defeated Capitals 4-0 Hurricanes: defeated Islanders 4-1

Leading scorers in Round 1:

Rangers: Mika Zibanejad (7 points) Hurricanes: Seth Jarvis (7 points)

Schedule: (NYR win 4-2)

Keys to the offseason for the Hurricanes

Game 1: NYR 4, CAR 3 | Recap | Replay Game 2: NYR 4, CAR 3 (2OT) | Recap | Replay Game 3: NYR 3, CAR 2 (OT) | Recap | Replay Game 4: CAR 4, NYR 3 | Recap | Replay Game 5: CAR 4, NYR 1 | Recap | Replay Game 6: NYR 5, CAR 3 | Recap

Consensus pick: Rangers

Central Division

C1 Dallas Stars vs.

C3 Colorado Avalanche

Path to Round 2:

Stars: defeated Golden Knights 4-3 Avalanche: defeated Jets 4-1

Leading scorers in Round 1:

Stars: Wyatt Johnston (7 points) Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar (9 points)

Schedule: (DAL wins 4-2)

Game 1: COL 4, DAL 3 (OT) | Recap | Replay Game 2: DAL 5, COL 3 | Recap | Replay Game 3: DAL 4, COL 1 | Recap | Replay Game 4: DAL 5, COL 1 | Recap | Replay Game 5: COL 5, DAL 3 | Recap | Replay Game 6: DAL 2, COL 1 (2OT) | Recap

Consensus pick: Stars

Pacific Division

P1 Vancouver Canucks vs.

P2 Edmonton Oilers

Path to Round 2:

Canucks: defeated Predators 4-2 Oilers: defeated Kings 4-1

Leading scorers in Round 1:

Canucks: Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller (6 points) Oilers: Connor McDavid (12 points)

Schedule: (series tied 3-3)

Game 1: VAN 5, EDM 4 | Recap | Replay Game 2: EDM 4, VAN 3 (OT) | Recap | Replay Game 3: VAN 4, EDM 3 |  Recap | Replay Game 4: EDM 3, VAN 2 | Recap | Replay Game 5: VAN 3, EDM 2 | Recap Game 6: EDM 5, VAN 1 | Recap Game 7: EDM @ VAN | May 20, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN) | Preview

Consensus pick: Oilers

First round Atlantic Division

A1 Florida Panthers vs.

WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning

Regular-season records:

Panthers: 52-24-6, 110 points Lightning: 45-29-8, 98 points

Leading scorers:

Panthers: Sam Reinhart, 94 points (57 G, 37 A) Lightning: Nikita Kucherov, 144 points (44 G, 100 A)

Consensus pick: Panthers

Schedule: (FLA wins 4-1)

Keys to the offseason for the Lightning

Game 1: FLA 3, TB 2 | Recap | Replay Game 2: FLA 3, TB 2 (OT) | Recap | Replay Game 3: FLA 5, TB 3 | Recap | Replay Game 4: TB 6, FLA 3 | Recap | Replay Game 5: FLA 6, TB 1 | Recap | Replay

A2 Boston Bruins vs.

A3 Toronto Maple Leafs

Regular-season records:

Bruins: 47-20-15, 109 points Maple Leafs: 46-26-10, 102 points

Leading scorers:

Bruins: David Pastrnak, 110 points (47 G, 63 A) Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews, 107 points (69 G, 38 A)

Consensus pick: Bruins

Schedule: (BOS wins 4-3)

Keys to the offseason for the Maple Leafs

Game 1: BOS 5, TOR 1 | Recap | Replay Game 2: TOR 3, BOS 2 | Recap | Replay Game 3: BOS 4, TOR 2 | Recap | Replay Game 4: BOS 3, TOR 1 | Recap | Replay Game 5: TOR 2, BOS 1 (OT) | Recap | Replay Game 6: TOR 2, BOS 1 | Recap Game 7: BOS 2, TOR 1 (OT) | Recap

Metropolitan Division

M1 New York Rangers vs.

WC2 Washington Capitals

Regular-season records:

Rangers: 55-23-4, 114 points Capitals: 40-31-11, 91 points

Leading scorers:

Rangers: Artemi Panarin, 120 points (49 G, 71 A) Capitals: Dylan Strome, 67 points (27 G, 40 A)

Consensus pick: Rangers

Schedule: (NYR wins 4-0)

Keys to the offseason for the Capitals

Game 1: NYR 4, WSH 1 | Recap | Replay Game 2: NYR 4, WSH 3 | Recap | Replay Game 3: NYR 3, WSH 1 | Recap Game 4: NYR 4, WSH 2 | Recap | Replay

M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs.

M3 New York Islanders

Regular-season records:

Hurricanes: 52-23-7, 111 points Islanders: 39-27-16, 94 points

Leading scorers:

Hurricanes: Sebastian Aho, 89 points (36 G, 53 A) Islanders: Mathew Barzal, 80 points (23 G, 57 A)

Consensus pick: Canes

Schedule: (CAR wins 4-1)

Keys to the offseason for the Islanders

Game 1: CAR 3, NYI 1 | Recap | Replay Game 2: CAR 5, NYI 3 | Recap | Replay Game 3: CAR 3, NYI 2 | Recap | Replay Game 4: NYI 3, CAR 2 (2OT) | Recap | Replay Game 5: CAR 6, NYI 3 | Recap

Central Division

C1 Dallas Stars vs.

WC2 Vegas Golden Knights

Regular-season records:

Stars: 52-21-9, 113 points Golden Knights: 45-29-8, 98 points

Leading scorers:

Stars: Jason Robertson, 80 points (29 G, 51 A) Golden Knights: Jonathan Marchessault, 69 points (42 G, 27 A)

Consensus pick: Stars

Schedule: (Stars win 4-3)

Game 1: VGK 4, DAL 3 | Recap | Replay Game 2: VGK 3, DAL 1 | Recap | Replay Game 3: DAL 3, VGK 2 (OT) | Recap | Replay Game 4: DAL 4, VGK 2 | Recap | Replay Game 5: DAL 3, VGK 2 | Recap | Replay Game 6: VGK 2, DAL 0 | Recap Game 7: DAL 2, VGK 1 | Recap

C2 Winnipeg Jets vs.

C3 Colorado Avalanche

Regular-season records:

Jets: 52-24-6, 110 points Avalanche: 50-25-7, 107 points

Leading scorers:

Jets: Mark Scheifele, 72 points (25 G, 47 A) Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon, 140 points (51 G, 89 A)

Consensus pick: Avs

Schedule: (COL wins 4-1)

Keys to the offseason for the Jets

Game 1: WPG 7, COL 6 | Recap | Replay Game 2: COL 5, WPG 2 | Recap | Replay Game 3: COL 6, WPG 2 | Recap | Replay Game 4: COL 5, WPG 1 | Recap | Replay Game 5: COL 6, WPG 3 | Recap | Replay

Pacific Division

P1 Vancouver Canucks vs.

WC1 Nashville Predators

Regular-season records:

Canucks: 50-23-9, 109 points Predators: 47-30-5, 99 points

Leading scorers:

Canucks: J.T. Miller, 103 points (37 G, 66 A) Predators: Filip Forsberg, 94 points (48 G, 46 A)

Consensus pick: Canucks

Schedule: (VAN wins 4-2)

Keys to the offseason for the Predators

Game 1: VAN 4, NSH 2 | Recap | Replay Game 2: NSH 4, VAN 1 | Recap | Replay Game 3: VAN 2, NSH 1 | Recap Game 4: VAN 4, NSH 3 (OT) | Recap | Replay Game 5: NSH 2, VAN 1 | Recap Game 6: VAN 1, NSH 0 | Recap

P2 Edmonton Oilers vs.

P3 Los Angeles Kings

Regular-season records:

Oilers: 49-27-6, 104 points Kings: 44-27-11, 99 points

Leading scorers:

Oilers: Connor McDavid, 132 points (32 G, 100 A) Kings: Adrian Kempe, 75 points (28 G, 47 A)

Consensus pick: Oilers

Schedule: (EDM wins 4-1)

Keys to the offseason for the Kings

Game 1: EDM 7, LA 4 | Recap | Replay Game 2: LA 5, EDM 4 (OT) | Recap Game 3: EDM 6, LA 1 | Recap | Replay Game 4: EDM 1, LA 0 | Recap | Replay Game 5: EDM 4 LA 3 | Recap