Four teams remain alive as the quest for the Stanley Cup reaches the semifinals.
Things are a little different this year, as there are no traditional “conference finals.” Instead, the four teams that emerged from division play have been reseeded based on regular-season points, with the Vegas Golden Knights taking the No. 1 spot following their second-round victory over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in the West.
Vegas will be facing the No. 4-seeded Montreal Canadiens, who won the North by sweeping the Winnipeg Jets in the second round.
The other semifinal features a rematch from last year’s final four as the No. 2 Tampa Bay Lightning take on the No. 3 New York Islanders. Tampa, the Central champ who ousted the Carolina Hurricanes in five games, won last year’s matchup with the Islanders – East champs after their six-game win over the Boston Bruins – in six games before going on to win the Stanley Cup.
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The schedule and results:
Semifinals
All times Eastern. Best of seven. *-if necessary
No. 1 Vegas vs. No. 4 Montreal
Monday, June 14: Canadiens at Golden Knights, 9 p.m., NBCSN
Wednesday, June 16: Canadiens at Golden Knights, 9 p.m., NBCSN
Friday, June 18, 8 p.m.: Golden Knights at Canadiens, 8 p.m., USA
Sunday, June 20: Golden Knights at Canadiens, 8 p.m., NBCSN
*Tuesday, June 22: Canadiens at Golden Knights, 9 p.m., NBCSN
*Thursday, June 24: Golden Knights at Canadiens, 8 p.m., USA
*Saturday, June 26: Canadiens at Golden Knights, 8 p.m., NBCSN
No. 2 Tampa Bay vs. No. 3 New York Islanders
Sunday, June 13: Islanders at Lightning, 3 p.m., NBC
Tuesday, June 15,: Islanders at Lightning, 8 p.m., NBCSN
Thursday, June 17: Lightning at Islanders, 8 p.m., NBCSN
Saturday, June 19: Lightning at Islanders, 8 p.m., USA
*Monday, June 21: Islanders at Lightning, 8 p.m., USA
*Wednesday, June 23: Lightning at Islanders, 8 p.m., NBCSN
*Friday, June 25: Islanders at Lightning, 8 p.m., NBCSN
Second round
All times Eastern. Best of seven. *-if necessary
East Division
No. 3 Boston vs. No. 4 New York Islanders
Islanders win 4-2
Game 1: Bruins 5, Islanders 2
Game 2: Islanders 4, Bruins 3 (OT)
Game 3: Bruins 2, Islanders 1 (OT)
Game 4: Islanders 4, Bruins 1
Game 5: Islanders 5, Bruins 4
Game 6: Islanders 6, Bruins 2
Central Division
No. 1 Carolina vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay
Lightning win 4-1
Game 1: Lightning 2, Hurricanes 1
Game 2: Lightning 2, Hurricanes 1
Game 3: Hurricanes 3, Lightning 2 (OT)
Game 4: Lightning 6, Hurricanes 4
Game 5: Lightning 2, Hurricanes 0
West Division
No. 1 Colorado vs. No. 2 Vegas
Golden Knights win 4-2
Game 1: Avalanche 7, Golden Knights 1
Game 2: Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 2 (OT)
Game 3: Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 2
Game 4: Golden Knights 5, Avalanche 1
Game 5: Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 2 (OT)
Game 6: Golden Knights 6, Avalanche 3
North Division
No. 3 Winnipeg vs. No. 4 Montreal
Canadiens win 4-0
Game 1: Canadiens 5, Jets 3
Game 2: Canadiens 1, Jets 0
Game 3: Canadiens 5, Jets 1
Game 4: Canadiens 3, Jets 2 (OT)
First round
All times ET. Best of seven. *-if necessary
EAST DIVISION
No 1. Pittsburgh vs. No. 4 NY Islanders
Islanders win 4-2
Game 1: Islanders 4, Penguins 3 (OT)
Game 2: Penguins 2, Islanders 1
Game 3: Penguins 5, Islanders 4
Game 4: Islanders 4, Penguins 1
Game 5: Islanders 3, Penguins 2 (2OT)
Game 6: Islanders 5, Penguins 3
No. 2 Washington vs. No. 3 Boston
Bruins win 4-1
Game 1: Capitals 3, Bruins 2 (OT)
Game 2: Bruins 4, Capitals 3 (OT)
Game 3: Bruins 3, Capitals 2 (2OT)
Game 4: Bruins 4, Capitals 1
Game 5: Bruins 3, Capitals 1
CENTRAL DIVISION
No. 1 Carolina vs. No. 4 Nashville
Hurricanes win 4-2
Game 1: Hurricanes 5, Predators 2
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Predators 0
Game 3: Predators 5, Hurricanes 4 (2OT)
Game 4: Predators 4, Hurricanes 3 (2OT)
Game 5: Hurricanes 3, Predators 2 (OT)
Game 6: Hurricanes 4, Predators 3 (OT)
No. 2 Florida vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay
Lightning win 4-2
Game 1: Lightning 5, Panthers 4
Game 2: Lightning 3, Panthers 1
Game 3: Panthers 6, Lightning 5 (OT)
Game 4: Lightning 6, Panthers 2
Game 5: Panthers 4, Lightning 1
Game 6: Lightning 4, Panthers 0
WEST DIVISION
No. 1 Colorado vs. No. 4 St. Louis
Avalanche win 4-0
Game 1: Avalanche 4, Blues 1
Game 2: Avalanche 6, Blues 3
Game 3: Avalanche 5, Blues 1
Game 4: Avalanche 5, Blues 2
No. 2 Vegas vs. No. 3 Minnesota
Golden Knights win 4-3
Game 1: Wild 1, Golden Knights 0 (OT)
Game 2: Golden Knights 3, Wild 1
Game 3: Golden Knights 5, Wild 2
Game 4: Golden Knights 4, Wild 0
Game 5: Wild 4, Golden Knights 2
Game 6: Wild 3, Golden Knights 0
Game 7: Golden Knights 6, Wild 2
NORTH DIVISION
No. 1 Toronto vs. No. 4 Montreal
Canadiens win 4-3
Game 1: Canadiens 2, Maple Leafs 1
Game 2: Maple Leafs 5, Canadiens 1
Game 3: Maple Leafs 2, Canadiens 1
Game 4: Maple Leafs 4, Canadiens 0
Game 5: Canadiens 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT)
Game 6: Canadiens 3, Maple Leafs 2 (OT)
Game 7: Canadiens 3, Maple Leafs 1
No. 2 Edmonton vs. No. 3 Winnipeg
Jets win 4-0
Game 1: Jets 4, Oilers 1
Game 2: Jets 1, Oilers 0 (OT)
Game 3: Jets 5, Oilers 4 (OT)
Game 4: Jets 4, Oilers (3OT)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL 2021 playoffs: Dates, time, TV, results in quest for Stanley Cup
