How to watch Stanley Cup Playoffs 2014 online, TV schedule and more for Monday’s games
On Monday, the playoffs return to Columbus and Dallas for the first time in years. Here’s your full viewing guide.
Kirk Irwin
The 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs continue Monday with four games -- three in the Western Conference First Round and one in the East.
In Columbus, the Blue Jackets will play just their third-ever playoff game in front of the Nationwide Arena crowd, this time with a chance to take a 2-1 series lead over the favored Pittsburgh Penguins. Columbus is coming off a riveting 4-3 overtime win on Saturday in Game 2, in which the team climbed out of a 3-1 hole en route to the overtime victory.
The Minnesota Wild head home to host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of their Western Conference series. Colorado's ridden their top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Paul Stastny to a 2-0 series lead and the Wild have to come up with an answer for that unit if they want any chance to come back in the series.
The defending champion Chicago Blackhawks are in the same boat as Minnesota: heading home down two-games-to-none after a devastating pair of losses in St. Louis against the Blues. In Game 1, the Blackhawks fell in triple overtime to the Blues at Scottrade Center, and in Game 3, St. Louis tied the score with just six seconds remaining before winning in overtime. The Blackhawks face a virtual must-win on home ice as a result, and battle between these two Central Division rivals has gotten extremely ugly.
The Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks are the night-cap, with Dallas -- just like Minnesota and Chicago -- desperate for a win at home after dropping Games 1 and 2 on the road. The Stars will be welcomed by a home crowd that’s been craving playoff hockey for six years, and despite controlling play for large portions of the first two games, they need Kari Lehtonen to rebound in Game 3.
Here’s a full look at Monday’s playoff schedule:
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Game 3, Eastern Conference First Round | Series tied 1-1
7 p.m. ET | Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Oh.
Local TV: Root Sports (PIT) | FS Ohio (CBJ)
National TV: NBCSN (USA) | CBC, RDS2 (Canada)
Live online stream at NBCSports.com (USA) and CBC.ca (Canada)
More: Penguins blog | Blue Jackets blog
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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Game 3, Western Conference First Round | Avalanche lead, 2-0
7 p.m. ET | Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn.
Local TV: FS North (MIN) | Altitude (COL)
National TV: NHL Network (USA) | TSN, RDS (Canada)
Live online stream at NBCSports.com (USA) and TSN.ca (Canada)
More: Avalanche blog | Wild blog
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Game 3, Western Conference First Round | Blues lead, 2-0
8:30 p.m. ET | United Center, Chicago, Ill.
Local TV: CSN Chicago | FS Midwest (STL)
National TV: CNBC (USA) | CBC, RDSI (Canada)
Live online stream at NBCSports.com (USA) and CBC.ca (Canada)
More: Blackhawks blog | Blues blog
Photo credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
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Game 3, Western Conference First Round | Ducks lead, 2-0
9:30 p.m. ET | American Airlines Center, Dallas, Tx.
Local TV: KDOC (ANA), TXA 21 (DAL)
National TV: NBCSN (USA) | TSN, RDS (Canada)
Live online stream at NBCSports.com (USA) and TSN.ca (Canada)
More: Ducks blog | Stars blog
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