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.
Mavericks rally past Thunder, secure berth in WCF
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks authored a 117-116 Game 6 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, and they will advance to play either the Minnesota Timberwolves or Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals.
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.
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.
Rookie Wenceel Pérez hits three-run triple in six-run 7th as Tigers beat Diamondbacks 8-3
— Wenceel Pérez hit a three-run triple to break open a close game and Jack Flaherty picked up his first victory of the season as the Detroit Tigers rallied to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-3 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
CSK Knocked Out As RCB Win Six In A Row To Make Playoffs
