The National Hockey league Monday announced starting time updates for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Finals.
The Western Conference Final features the President’s Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche against the Vegas Golden Knights and begins Wednesday, May 20, in Denver. The Eastern Conference Final begins Thursday, May 21, in Raleigh, and features the Metropolitan Division regular-season champion Carolina Hurricanes against the winner of tonight’s Second Round Game 7 between the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo.
The series would mark the third meeting between the Canadiens and Hurricanes in the postseason since the team arrived in North Carolina in 1997, or the second-ever postseason matchup with the Sabres. Carolina defeated Montreal in six games in the 2002 Eastern Conference Semifinal, and went on to capture the Eastern Conference championship before falling to Detroit in the Stanley Cup Final. In 2006, the Hurricanes knocked off the Canadiens in six games in the first round, and then defeated the Sabres in the Eastern Conference Final prior to going on to win their first Stanley Cup Championship.
Thu, May 21: Buffalo/Montreal, 8p, Lenovo Center
Sat, May 23: Buffalo/Montreal, 7p, Lenovo Center
Mon, May 25, at Buffalo/Montreal, 8p, KeyBank Center/Bell Centre
Wed, May 27, at Buffalo/Montreal, 8p, KeyBank Center/Bell Centre
+Fri, May 29: Buffalo/Montreal, 8p, Lenovo Center
+Sun, May 31, at Buffalo/Montreal, TBD, KeyBank Center/Bell Centre
+Tue, June 2: Buffalo/Montreal, 8p, Lenovo Center
*all times ET
+if necessary