Expert Hockey Picks and Previews

Game 1 of this Western Conference first-round series lands at Ball Arena on Sunday, April 19, with a 3:00 PM start on TNT. Los Angeles comes in as the second wild card at 35-27-20, while Colorado opens the postseason as the Central Division winner at 55-16-11 after finishing first overall in the league. That alone explains why the Avalanche are

The Eastern Conference first round gets going Sunday night with the Montreal Canadiens visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning for Game 1 at Benchmark International Arena. Puck drop is set for 5:45 PM on TNT, and the setup is tight on paper even if the market still leans clearly toward Tampa Bay. Both teams finished the regular season with 106 points,

The Boston Bruins head to KeyBank Center on Sunday, April 19, for Game 1 of an Eastern Conference first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres. Puck drop is set for 7:30 PM on ESPN, and this matchup has real weight right away. Boston finished 45-27-10 and grabbed the East’s top wild-card spot, while Buffalo went 50-23-9, won the Atlantic Division, and

Game 1 of this Western Conference First Round series starts Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena, with puck drop set for 10:00 PM ET on ESPN. Vegas earned home ice by winning the Pacific Division at 39-26-17, while Utah grabbed the West’s first wild card at 43-33-6 and is making its first playoff appearance since the move to Utah. That alone

Sabres’ first postseason since 2011 starts with confident Bruins The Boston Bruins have won 11 Stanley Cup playoff rounds since the last time the Buffalo Sabres made the postseason. That experience seems to have Boston coach Marco Sturm oozing with confidence heading into Game 1 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday night in Buffalo. “We know how

Experienced Lightning face young Canadiens in first round The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning will meet in the postseason for the first time since 2021 and this matchup will come under much different circumstances. Game 1 in the first-round series is set for Sunday at Tampa, Fla. Holding the Atlantic Division’s second spot, the Lightning clinched home-ice advantage Tuesday

Avs to put ‘dangerous’ offense up against upset-minded Kings The Colorado Avalanche are prohibitive favorites in their first round Western Conference Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings, which begins with Game 1 on Sunday at Denver. The Avalanche (55-16-11, 121 points) won the Presidents’ Trophy as the team with the best regular-season record. They also led all

Ottawa opens its playoff run on the road Saturday night at Lenovo Center, and this is not an easy first draw. Carolina gets home ice, carries the stronger market respect, and comes in priced like the more complete team. That part is not surprising. The Hurricanes usually control games with structure, pressure, and territorial play, especially at home, and that

Minnesota opens its first-round series on the road Saturday at American Airlines Center against Dallas, with Game 1 set for 5:30 p.m. ET. This is one of those playoff matchups that has felt inevitable for weeks. The Wild finished 46-24-12 with 104 points, the Stars closed 50-20-12 with 112, and now the reward for Dallas is home ice in a