How to watch NHL playoffs 2014 online, TV schedule and more for Thursday’s games
Four more NHL playoff series start on Thursday night. They are all bitter divisional rivalries.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The first night of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs was phenomenal, with overtime, lots of goal scoring, a near-four-goal comeback attempt and selfies. It’s going to be tough to top on Thursday night, but with the slate of four games on the schedule, there’s a real chance it happens.
Four series kick off on Thursday night -- one in the Eastern Conference and three out west.
The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers renew playoff hatred against one another at 7 p.m. ET. It's the first time the two divisional rivals have played in the postseason since the 1997 Eastern Conference Final, and it's basically exactly what the NHL (and NBC) wanted when they changed the league's playoff format before the season.
At 8 p.m. ET, another divisional rivalry series begins between two very legitimate Stanley Cup contenders: the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues. Chicago gets back both Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews back in their lineup in time for the postseason, but there are several key injuries still up in the air for St. Louis, including Vladimir Tarasenko and T.J. Oshie.
The Colorado Avalanche make their playoff return at 9:30 p.m. ET against the Minnesota Wild. The teams have met in the playoffs three times before, and every time, the lower seed won the series, so that's something Colorado will be looking to avoid.
Perhaps the most anticipated series of the 2014 first round begins at 10:30 p.m. in San Jose, where the Sharks host their California rivals, the Los Angeles Kings, in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round. These teams are both Cup contenders, and the playoff familiarity is real: they've played in the postseason three times in four years. Big minute defenseman Drew Doughty returns to the Kings lineup after missing several games down the stretch.
Here’s the full schedule in detail:
Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers
Game 1, Eastern Conference First Round | Series tied 0-0
7 p.m. ET | Madison Square Garden | Manhattan, N.Y.
Local TV: CSN Philadelphia | MSG (NY)
National TV: CNBC (US) | TSN, RDS (Canada)
Live online stream at NBCSports.com (US) and TSN.ca (Canada)
More: Series preview | Flyers blog | Rangers blog
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Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues
Game 1, Western Conference First Round | Series tied 0-0
8 p.m. ET | Scottrade Center | St. Louis, Mo.
Local TV: CSN Chicago | FS Midwest (STL)
National TV: NBCSN (US) | CBC, RDS2 (Canada)
Live online stream at NBCSports.com (USA) and CBC.ca (Canada)
More: Blackhawks blog | Blues blog
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Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche
Game 1, Western Conference First Round | Series tied 0-0
9:30 p.m. ET | Pepsi Center | Denver, Colo.
Local TV: Altitude (COL) | FS North (MIN)
National TV: CNBC (US) | TSN, RDS (Canada)
Live online stream at NBCSports.com (USA) and TSN.ca (Canada)
More: Series preview | Wild blog | Avalanche blog
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Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks
Game 1, Western Conference First Round | Series tied 0-0
10:30 p.m. ET | SAP Center | San Jose, Calif.
Local TV: CSN California (SJ) | FS West (LA)
National TV: NBCSN (US) | CBC, RDS2 (Canada)
Live online stream at NBCSports.com (USA) and CBC.ca (Canada)
More: Series preview | Kings blog | Sharks blog
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