The 2012 NHL Playoffs are set to begin, and the first round should get things going excellently right from the start with a handful of very intriguing pairings. There’s the grudge match between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, the defending champion Boston Bruins taking on the surging Washington Capitals, a brutally tough 4/5 pairing between the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings, and much more.
Each series will maintain a typically slow playoffs pace, but with eight total match-ups, it makes for a busy viewing schedule with some days showcasing four or more games. It can also make it hard to keep track of, and you don’t want to be scrambling at the last minute when you can’t find your game.
Below, find a quick guide to the NHL playoffs TV schedule for the opening round, the conference quarterfinals. Print it up, highlight your favorite team or the must-see games you don’t want to miss, and keep it handy as the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs get underway.
*Games if necessary
Wednesday, April 11
Penguins-Flyers Game 1: 7:30 pm, NBC Sports
Predators-Red Wings Game 1: 8 pm, CNBC
Canucks-Kings Game 1: 10:30 pm, NBC Sports
Thursday, April 12
Rangers-Senators Game 1: 7 pm, NHL Network
Bruins-Capitals Game 1: 7:30 pm, NBC Sports
Blues-Sharks Game 1: 7:30 pm, CNBC
Coyotes-Blackhawks Game 1: 10 pm, NBC Sports
Friday, April 13
Panthers-Devils Game 1: 7 pm, NHL Network
Penguins-Flyers Game 2: 7:30 pm, NBC Sports
Predators-Red Wings Game 2: 7:30 pm, CNBC
Canucks-Kings Game 2: 10 pm, NBC Sports
Saturday, April 14
Bruins-Capitals Game 2: 3 pm, NBC Sports
Rangers-Senators Game 2: 7 pm, NBC Sports
Blues-Sharks Game 2: 7:30 pm, CNBC
Coyotes-Blackhawks Game 2: 10 pm, NBC Sports
Sunday, April 15
Predators-Red Wings Game 3: 12 pm, NBC
Penguins-Flyers Game 3: 3pm, NBC
Panthers-Devils Game 2: 7:30 pm, NBC Sports
Canucks-Kings Game 3: 10:30 pm, NBC Sports
Monday, April 16
Rangers-Senators Game 3: 7:30 pm, CNBC
Bruins-Capitals Game 3: 7:30 pm, NBC Sports
Blues-Sharks Game 3: 10 pm, NBC Sports
Tuesday, April 17
Panthers-Devils Game 3: 7 pm, NHL Network
Predators-Red Wings Game 4: 8 pm, NBC Sports
Coyotes-Blackhawks Game 3: 9 pm, CNBC
Wednesday, April 18
Rangers-Senators Game 4: 7:30 pm, CNBC
Penguins-Flyers Game 4: 7:30 pm, NBC Sports
Canucks-Kings Game 4: 10 pm, NBC Sports
Thursday, April 19
Panthers-Devils Game 4: 7 pm, NHL Network
Bruins-Capitals Game 4: 7:30 pm, NBC Sports
Coyotes-Blackhawks Game 4: 8 pm, CNBC
Blues-Sharks Game 4: 10:30 pm, NBC Sports
Friday, April 20
*Penguins-Flyers Game 5: 7:30 pm, NBC Sports
*Predators-Red Wings Game 5: 8 pm, CNBC
Saturday, April 21
*Bruins-Capitals Game 5: 3 pm, NBC Sports
*Panthers-Devils Game 5: 6:30 pm, NHL Network
*Rangers-Senators Game 5: 7 pm, NBC Sports
*Blues-Sharks Game 5: 7:30 pm, CNBC
*Coyotes-Blackhawks Game 5: 10 pm, NBC Sports
(All games after this date have times and networks to be determined)
Sunday, April 22
*Bruins-Capitals Game 6
*Penguins-Flyers Game 6
*Canucks-Kings Game 5
*Predators-Red Wings Game 6
Monday, April 23
*Rangers-Senators Game 6
*Blues-Sharks Game 6
*Coyotes-Blackhawks Game 6
Tuesday, April 24
*Panthers-Devils Game 6
*Canucks-Kings Game 6
*Penguins-Flyers Game 7
*Predators-Red Wings Game 7
Wednesday, April 25
*Bruins-Capitals Game 7
*Blues-Sharks Game 7
*Coyotes-Blackhawks Game 7
Thursday, April 26
*Rangers-Senators Game 7
*Panthers-Devils Game 7
*Canucks-Kings Game 7
More from this contributor:
Lundqvist Makes Vezina & MVP Case
Rangers Clinch Top Spot in Eastern Conference
Penguins Send Message to Rangers in Crosby’s Return
Sources: NHL.com
Jake Emen is a lifelong Rangers fan from New Jersey. He also runs the boxing news website ProBoxing-Fans.com, which you can follow on Twitter, @ProBoxingFans.
