Stanley Cup Playoff bracket is complete and here are the matchups

NHL fans are finally aware of what the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will look like.

With the postseason set to begin on Saturday, the league’s tightly packed standings left things impossible to predict until the very end. With the regular season having officially wrapped up, we now know all eight first-round matchups.

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference is loaded with compelling storylines.

The Battle of Pennsylvania returns to the postseason, as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers renew a rivalry that was especially heated early in Sidney Crosby’s career. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens will meet in a rematch of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.

There’s also plenty of intrigue in Buffalo, where the Sabres are set to make their first playoff appearance since 2011.

Atlantic Division

• Buffalo Sabres (1) vs. Boston Bruins (WC1)
• Tampa Bay Lightning (2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (3)

Metropolitan Division

• Carolina Hurricanes (1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC2)
• Pittsburgh Penguins (2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (3)

Western Conference

The Western Conference also figures to be plenty of fun.

The Utah Mammoth will be in the playoffs for the first time since relocating from Arizona, and will be tasked with taking on the Pacific Division winning Vegas Golden Knights.

Meanwhile, the Central Division winning Colorado Avalanche will clash with the LA Kings, while the Edmonton Oilers will face the Anaheim Ducks for the first time in the postseason since 2017.

Central Division

• Colorado Avalanche (1) vs. LA Kings (WC2)
• Dallas Stars (2) vs. Minnesota Wild (3)

Pacific Division

• Vegas Golden Knights (1) vs. Utah Mammoth (WC1)
• Edmonton Oilers (2) vs. Anaheim Ducks (3)

The playoffs begin with a triple-header on Saturday, kicking off with the Senators and Hurricanes at 3 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. PDT.

You might also like:
• Calgary Flames fan brought to tears after adorable moment with Dustin Wolf