The Eastern Conference seeding is set for Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Following the Carolina Hurricanes' 6-4 win over the Florida Panthers, all eight seeds became official, with the Hurricanes officially clinching the top seed in the Metropolitan Division.
The Boston Bruins and their record-breaking season, having long since secured the Presidents’ Trophy as the best regular season team, will face off against Matthew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers.
The Panthers, who punched their post-season ticket earlier this week after months of uneven play, appear uniquely suited to face off with the league’s top dogs. They’re one of just two teams — alongside the Ottawa Senators — to beat Boston twice this season, once in regulation and once in overtime.
Game 1 of this series will be on Monday with Game 2 following on Wednesday.
As has been the case for months, the Toronto Maple Leafs will have home ice next week when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round for the second straight season.
The Maple Leafs will be looking to reach the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2004, while the Lightning will be looking to become the first team since the dynastic New York Islanders to make four consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Game 1 of this series will be on Tuesday with Game 2 following on Thursday.
The Hurricanes, who earned back-to-back Metropolitan Division titles for the first time in franchise history, will face the New York Islanders, returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after missing the dance last spring.
Despite their absence in 2022, the Islanders rank third in playoff games played since 2020, behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche, and will prove a tough out given their heavy playoff-like style and exceptional goaltending.
Game 1 of this series will be on Monday with Game 2 following on Wednesday.
Finally, the Battle of the Hudson River will resume as the New Jersey Devils host the New York Rangers in a battle between the two and three seeds in the Metro Division. The two sides have met six times in the post-season since the Colorado Rockies relocated to New Jersey in 1982.
To date, the New York Rangers have held the edge in post-season meetings, winning four of those six series. Most recently, however, the New Jersey Devils got the best of their regional foes in 2012, when Adam Henrique scored an overtime goal in Game 6 to help the Devils advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
Game 1 of this series will be on Tuesday with Game 2 following on Thursday.
You can watch every game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sportsnet beginning on April 17.
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