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2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Schedule, scores, highlights

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From the first round all the way through the Stanley Cup Final, ESPN.com has you covered. Check out the full playoff picture and coverage on each team and series.

Stanley Cup Final

Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific No. 1) vs. Washington Capitals (Metro No. 1)

Game 1: Golden Knights 6, Capitals 4
Game 2: Capitals 3, Golden Knights 2
Game 3: Capitals 3, Golden Knights 1
Game 4: Capitals 6, Golden Knights 2
Game 5: Capitals 4, Golden Knights 3

  • Kaplan: How the Caps defend the CupInsider

  • Wyshynski: Vegas' offseason game planInsider

  • 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 planInsider

  • 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 planInsider

  • 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 forwardInsider

  • 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 DInsider

  • 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 SarosInsider

  • 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 TavaresInsider

  • 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 DInsider

  • 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 DInsider

  • 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 moneyInsider

  • 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)Insider

  • 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 neededInsider

  • 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 yearInsider

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 stageInsider

  • 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 youngerInsider

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

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