Another day, another opportunity for an NHL team to get one game closer to Lord Stanley. It’s the best time of the calendar for hockey fans; it’s the NHL playoffs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs might be absent from the playoffs, but Canada has other teams to cheer on this Spring.
On Saturday, April 18th, fans were treated to three highly entertaining games. The Carolina Hurricanes squeaked a 2-0 victory past the Ottawa Senators. Additionally, the Minnesota Wild blew past the Dallas Stars for a 6-1 final score. Finally, Stuart Skinner lost his first playoff game with the Pittsburgh Penguins, as the Philadelphia Flyers walked away with a 3-2 victory in Game 1.
Now, it’s a whole new set of Game 1’s for April 19th. Here is the schedule for all four of today’s games, including where you can watch each series.
Game 1: Los Angeles Kings vs Colorado Avalanche
Time: 3:00 PM Eastern
Where to Watch & Stream: Sportsnet+, TVAS+, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, TVAS2 (in Canada). TNT, truTV, & HBO Max (in the USA).
The first of four games today is between the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche. For the first time since 2021, the Kings won’t face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs. And it’s a good thing too, because the Kings have lost four straight series against the back-to-back Stanley Cup Runner-Up.
The Avalanche walked away with the NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy by having the best season out of any team. They finished the 2025-26 season with 121 points and a 55-16-11 record.
Game 2: Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Time: 5:45 PM Eastern
Where to Watch & Stream: Sportsnet+, TVAS+, CBC, Sportsnet, & TVAS (in Canada). HBO Max, truTV, & TNT (in the USA).
Following their four regular season games against each other, the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning find themselves as first-round opponents. They split the season series, with the Lightning winning the first two games 6-1 and 5-4, respectively. Next, the Canadiens won the next two games with 4-1 and 2-1 final scores.
Game 3: Boston Bruins vs Buffalo Sabres
Time: 7:30 PM Eastern
Where to Watch & Stream: Sportsnet+, TVAS+, Sportsnet 1, Sportsnet 360, & TVAS2 (in Canada). ESPN for the USA.
At one point early in the season, some wondered whether the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres would even make the playoffs. Now, they are first-round opponents. However, the Bruins snuck into the playoffs as the first Wild Card team and will play the Sabres, who won the Atlantic Division.
Game 4: Utah Mammoth vs Vegas Golden Knights
Time: 10:00 PM Eastern
Where to Watch & Stream: Sportsnet+, TVAS+, CBC, Sportsnet, & TVAS (in Canada). ESPN for the USA.
Lastly, the fourth game on today’s schedule is the Vegas Golden Knights against the Utah Mammoth. The Golden Knights finished the regular season as the first-place team in the Pacific Division. However, they surprised the hockey world by firing Bruce Cassidy in the final stretch before the playoffs. However, his replacement has been well-received by the players.
Tortorella coached the Golden Knights for their final eight games, where they mustered up a stunning 7-0-1 record. They collected 15 of a possible 16 points in that stretch.
NHL Playoffs Schedule: What Games Are on TV on April 19th, 2026?