2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Schedule, scores, highlights

• Kaplan: How the Caps defend the Cup

• Wyshynski: Vegas' offseason game plan

• Wyshynski: From trauma to triumph for one Golden Knights fan

• Markazi: Kelly McCrimmon's quest to join brother Brad on the Cup

• Kaplan/Wyshynski: Stanley Cup Final tale of the tape

• Kaplan: Ovi's unwavering commitment to chicken parm

• Kaplan/Wyshynski: Vegas' success wasn't rigged: Here's how they were built

• Barnwell: Ultimate surprise runs: Where Vegas' ranks

• Kaplan: How "Wild Bill" Karlsson became a 43-goal scorer

• Kaplan/Wyshynski: Ranking every player in the Final

• Wyshynski: Permission for optimism: The Caps take on D.C.'s pain

Conference Finals

Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic No. 1) vs. Washington Capitals (Metro No. 1)

Game 1: Capitals 4, Lightning 2
Game 2: Capitals 6, Lightning 2
Game 3: Lightning 4, Capitals 2
Game 4: Lightning 4, Capitals 2
Game 5: Lightning 3, Capitals 2
Game 6: Capitals 3, Lightning 0
Game 7: Capitals 4, Lightning 0

• Wyshynski: Lightning's offseason game plan

• Wyshynski: How Caps' youth infusion helped them forget old pain

• Wyshynski: How Vasilevskiy's worst moments helped him become Tampa's best

• Wyshynski: How the Caps disrupted a history of playoff disaster

• Wyshynski: Secret to Capitals' success: Ovi's superstitions?

Winnipeg Jets (Central No. 2) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific No. 1)

Game 1: Jets 4, Golden Knights 2
Game 2: Golden Knights 3, Jets 1
Game 3: Golden Knights 4, Jets 2
Game 4: Golden Knights 3, Jets 2
Game 5: Golden Knights 2, Jets 1

• Kaplan: Golden Knights ride improbable run to Stanley Cup Final

• Kaplan: Ryan Reaves' journey from enforcer to playoff hero

• Kaplan: The Jets' offseason game plan

• Kaplan: The legend of 'Big Buff' grows with every hit, punch and goal

• Kaplan: Not just Jets: Cars join Winnipeg whiteout

Conference Semi-Finals

Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic No. 1) vs. Boston Bruins (Atlantic No. 2)

Game 1: Bruins 6, Lightning 2
Game 2: Lightning 4, Bruins 2
Game 3: Lightning 4, Bruins 1
Game 4: Lightning 4, Bruins 3 (OT)
Game 5: Lightning 3, Bruins 1

• Wyshynski: The Bruins' offseason game plan: Add a veteran forward

• Wyshynski: Ranking Brad Marchand's top 20 heel moments

• Wyshynski: Lightning will ride scoring depth, steadier goalie past the Bruins

Washington Capitals (Metro No. 1) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Metro No. 2)

Game 1: Penguins 3, Capitals 2
Game 2: Capitals 4, Penguins 1
Game 3: Capitals 4, Penguins 3
Game 4: Penguins 3, Capitals 1
Game 5: Capitals 6, Penguins 3
Game 6: Capitals 2, Penguins 1 (OT)

• Kaplan: The Penguins' offseason game plan: Additions needed on D

• Wyshynski: Alex Ovechkin, Capitals put halt to 20-year East finals drought

• Roundtable: Did the NHL go too harsh on Tom Wilson?

• Wyshynski: Patric Hornqvist, the Penguins' happy playoff warrior

• Wyshynski: How Braden Holtby stays cool in intense heat of playoffs

• Kaplan: Healthy, hungry Capitals have depth to prevail over Penguins

• Wyshynski: The 10 lowest Capitals moments in their rivalry with Penguins

• Roundtable: How the Caps can actually win this time

Nashville Predators (Central No. 1) vs. Winnipeg Jets (Central No. 2)

Game 1: Jets 4, Predators 1
Game 2: Predators 5, Jets 4 (2OT)
Game 3: Jets 7, Predators 4
Game 4: Predators 2, Jets 1
Game 5: Jets 6, Predators 2
Game 6: Predators 4, Jets 0
Game 7: Jets 5, Predators 1

• Kaplan: The Predators' offseason game plan: Decision time on Ryan Hartman, Juuse Saros

• Kaplan: Everybody gets burned by Fil: Forsberg uses his flash to propel Predators' playoff run

• Kaplan: AJ Mleczko making her mark in the broadcast booth

• Kaplan: A catfish tale: From Little's Fish Market to the ice in Nashville

• Kaplan: Depth scoring, blueliners give Predators the edge vs. Jets

Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific No. 1) vs. San Jose Sharks (Pacific No. 3)

Game 1: Golden Knights 7, Sharks 0
Game 2: Sharks 4, Golden Knights 3 (2OT)
Game 3: Golden Knights 4, Sharks 3 (OT)
Game 4: Sharks 4, Golden Knights 0
Game 5: Golden Knights 5, Sharks 3
Game 6: Golden Knights 3, Sharks 0

• Wyshynski: The Sharks' offseason game plan: Go get John Tavares

• Markazi: The hottest event in Vegas? Golden Knights practices

• Kaplan: Golden Knights' French connection is NHL's most interesting man

• Kaplan: Sharks veteran Paul Martin is the king of Stanley Cup near-misses

• Wyshynski: Defense and special teams will carry Sharks over Knights

• Kaplan: How the Golden Knights became the most successful expansion franchise ... ever

First Round

Eastern Conference

Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic No. 1) vs. New Jersey Devils (wild card No. 2)

• Wyshynski: Inside Taylor Hall's transformation -- and what's next

• Kaplan: The Devils' offseason plan: Time for a splash on D

• Wyshynski: Stamkos & Co. should win a close one

Game 1: Lightning 5, Devils 2
Game 2: Lightning 5, Devils 3
Game 3: Devils 5, Lightning 2
Game 4: Lightning 3, Devils 1
Game 5: Lightning 3, Devils 1

Boston Bruins (Atlantic No. 2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (Atlantic No. 3)

• Wyshynski: The Maple Leafs' offseason game plan: Help wanted on D

• Wyshynski: Matthews, Marner livin' to answer Leafs' fans prayers

• Wyshynski: Tiny oral history: Bruins' 2013 Game 7 miracle vs. Maple Leafs

• Wyshynski: Toronto's depth will be the difference

Game 1: Bruins 5, Maple Leafs 1
Game 2: Bruins 7, Maple Leafs 3
Game 3: Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 2
Game 4: Bruins 3, Maple Leafs 1
Game 5: Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 3
Game 6: Maple Leafs 3, Bruins 1
Game 7: Bruins 7, Maple Leafs 4

Washington Capitals (Metro No. 1) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (wild card No. 1)

• Kaplan: Looking ahead for the Blue Jackets: Pay that Bread Man his money

• Rovell: The true story behind the Capitals' 'puck girl,' first-grader Keelan Moxley

• Kavanagh: Ovi will be too much for Columbus

Game 1: Blue Jackets 4, Capitals 3 (OT)
Game 2: Blue Jackets 5, Capitals 4 (OT)
Game 3: Capitals 3, Blue Jackets 2 (2OT)
Game 4: Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 1
Game 5: Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 3 (OT)
Game 6: Capitals 6, Blue Jackets 3

Pittsburgh Penguins (Metro No. 2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Metro No. 3)

• Roundtable: Who is the greatest Penguin: Sid or Mario?

• Kaplan: Looking ahead for the Flyers: Only minor tweaks needed (aside from in goal, of course)

• Kaplan: Philly's latest underdog will fall short

Game 1: Penguins 7, Flyers 0
Game 2: Flyers 5, Penguins 1
Game 3: Penguins 5, Flyers 1
Game 4: Penguins 5, Flyers 0
Game 5: Flyers 4, Penguins 2
Game 6: Penguins 8, Flyers 5

Western Conference

Nashville Predators (Central No. 1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (wild card No. 2)

• Wyshynski: Behind Pekka Rinne's renaissance

• Kaplan: Looking ahead for the Avalanche: Veteran scoring help needed

• Kaplan: MacKinnon's magic won't be enough

Game 1: Predators 5, Avs 2
Game 2: Predators 5, Avs 3
Game 3: Avs 5, Predators 3
Game 4: Predators 3, Avs 2
Game 5: Avs 2, Predators 1
Game 6: Predators 5, Avs 0

Winnipeg Jets (Central No. 2) vs. Minnesota Wild (Central No. 3)

• Kaplan: Patrik Laine is the NHL's newest teen sensation

• Kaplan: Laine Show will tame the Wild

• Kaplan: The Wild's offseason game plan: How to get past the first round next year

Game 1: Jets 3, Wild 2
Game 2: Jets 4, Wild 1
Game 3: Wild 6, Jets 2
Game 4: Jets 2, Wild 0
Game 5: Jets 5, Wild 0

Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific No. 1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (wild card No. 1)

• Markazi: Golden Knights make history with series sweep

• Roundtable: We like Vegas' chances to reach the Stanley Cup Final -- and maybe even win it all

• Wyshynski: The Kings' offseason game plan: The Drew Doughty conundrum takes the main stage

• Markazi: Tourist or local? Vegas' strategy to have the NHL's best home-ice advantage

Game 1: Golden Knights 1, Kings 0
Game 2: Golden Knights 2, Kings 1 (2OT)
Game 3: Golden Knights 3, Kings 2
Game 4: Golden Knights 1, Kings 0

Anaheim Ducks (Pacific No. 2) vs. San Jose Sharks (Pacific No. 3)

• Wyshynski: The Ducks' offseason plan: Time to get younger

Game 1: Sharks 3, Ducks 0
Game 2: Sharks 3, Ducks 2
Game 3: Sharks 8, Ducks 1
Game 4: Sharks 2, Ducks 1