After a long, hard-fought, tiring regular season, the 16 teams that survived and moved on to the NHL Playoffs will start their quest for the Stanley Cup on Monday night. We will have 4 series starting on Monday, with the remaining 4 set to begin on Tuesday. There are some great matchups in Round 1, and while there are certainly a couple of definite favorites to win it all, we are not taking anything for granted. There will be some surprises along the way, and we will cover as much of the action as possible. Let’s start by talking about the Monday games and how each series might play out.
NHL Playoffs First Round Games: 4/17 Matchups and Potential Outcomes | NHL Lines
New York islanders Vs Carolina Hurricanes
When: Monday, April 17 at 7:00 pm ET
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC
TV / Streaming: ESPN 2
The Islanders had to wait until the very last day of the season to punch their playoff ticket, with their reward being a Round 1 series against the Carolina Hurricanes, a team that a lot of pundits like to win the Stanley Cup. The Islanders won the first meeting in the regular season, but the Hurricanes won 3 in a row to take the regular season series by 3-1. I think we get more of the same here, with the Hurricanes taking it in 5, maybe 6 games.
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Florida Panthers Vs Boston Bruins
When: Monday, April 17 at 7:30 pm ET
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
TV / Streaming: ESPN
The Bruins were, by far, the best team in the league in the regular season, but this is a whole different game. Home ice advantage is huge for a team that was about as close to unbeatable as it gets in their own building, and they might just need that against the Panthers. These two teams split their regular season series, so this might not be a walk in the park for the Bruins, although I do think they will take the series in 6 games.
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Minnesota Wild Vs Dallas Stars
When: Monday, April 17 at 9:30 pm ET
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
TV / Streaming: ESPN 2
We have ourselves a Central Division matchup in Round 1, with the familiarity possibly making this series a little more difficult to predict. The Stars took 3 of 4 from the Wild in their regular season series, which might just give Dallas the edge. You have to look at how these teams closed out the season, too. Minnesota lost their final 2 games, while the Stars ended on a 6-game win streak. Momentum tends to play a role in the postseason, so with that in mind, I am taking the Stars to move on in 6 games.
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LA Kings Vs Edmonton Oilers
When: Monday, April 17 at 10:00 pm ET
Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
TV / Streaming: ESPN
The final game on the Monday night schedule is another divisional matchup. This time, it is the Pacific Division in the spotlight, with the LA Kings and Edmonton Oilers set to renew hostilities. The regular season series between these teams was a tight affair, with a 4-game split how it ended. The Oilers come into the postseason with all the momentum, winning 9 in a row to close out the regular season. I think we get a close series here and one that goes all the way. I am giving the slight nod to the Oilers, who I think will take it in 7 games.
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