Get your popcorn ready, because it's officially playoff time.
While some NHL postseason matchups have been known for a while, many were decided on the final night of the regular season. Here's a look at all eight:
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Lightning (A1) | Columbus Blue Jackets (WC2) |
Drawing the Presidents' Trophy winners in Round 1 was probably not what Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen envisioned when he went all-in prior to the trade deadline. The Lightning emphatically swept the season series 3-0, outscoring Columbus 17-3.
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
| Boston Bruins (A2) | Toronto Maple Leafs (A3) |
The Maple Leafs and Bruins will meet in Round 1 for a second straight year after Boston's seven-game series victory in 2018. The Bruins were much stronger down the stretch and won the season series 3-1, which could give them a leg up.
Metropolitan Division
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
| Washington Capitals (M1) | Carolina Hurricanes (WC1) |
The Hurricanes don't qualify for the playoffs often, but they usually make the most of it. Carolina reached the conference finals in its last postseason appearance in 2009, and the team earned trips to the Stanley Cup Final in each of its two playoff berths prior (2006 and 2002). The Canes will be in tough against the defending champs, as the Capitals swept the season series 4-0.
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
| New York Islanders (M2) | Pittsburgh Penguins (M3) |
The Islanders will be hosting a playoff series for the first time since 1988, but it'll be no easy task against a Penguins squad that's getting healthier. Defensive mastermind Barry Trotz slowed down Pittsburgh's offense during Washington's second-round victory a year ago, but can he do that in two straight series?
Western Conference
Central Division
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
| Nashville Predators (C1) | Dallas Stars (WC1) |
Take the under in this series. The Predators-Stars matchup is the only one in which both teams ranked in the bottom half of the league in scoring. The two squads made the postseason through stingy defense and stellar goaltending.
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
| Winnipeg Jets (C2) | St. Louis Blues (C3) |
The Jets lugged their way into the postseason, and they could have their hands full against the Blues, a club that was dead last in the NHL on Jan. 2 before a miraculous second half of the season. The Jets took the season series 3-1, but these teams haven't met since Dec. 7.
Pacific Division
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
| Calgary Flames (P1) | Colorado Avalanche (WC2) |
There aren't many question marks tied to the Flames, but the one that does exist is a doozy: Which goalie will lead the way in the playoffs? Mike Smith and David Rittich posted both hot and cold streaks during the season, but neither took the job and ran with it. The same can't be said for the Avs, as Philipp Grubauer's .956 save percentage over his final 14 regular-season contests has him entrenched as the club's No. 1 netminder despite playing fewer games than Semyon Varlamov.
| Home | Away |
|---|---|
| San Jose Sharks (P2) | Vegas Golden Knights (P3) |
The Golden Knights sunk the Sharks 4-2 in the second round in 2018, but thanks to the fall of the Ottawa Senators, both teams have added significant reinforcements. Mark Stone and Erik Karlsson are game-changers, and whoever has a greater impact on this series could determine the winner.
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