The Stanley Cup Playoffs return to Vancouver on Sunday, April 21.
On Thursday, during the Vancouver Canucks' final game of the regular season against the Winnipeg Jets, Sportsnet confirmed that Game 1 of the Canucks' first-round series against the Nashville Predators will be at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
It's been nine long years since the Canucks played a playoff game in Rogers Arena in front of their home crowd but the towel-waving faithful will welcome them onto the ice this weekend. The original plan was for the Canucks' playoff series against the Predators to start on Tuesday, April 23, but neither team was happy with that long a break between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason.
As it is, a Sunday start means just two days between games for the Canucks, though they rested several players for Thursday's game. J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Ian Cole, and Filip Hronek all sat out against the Jets as healthy scratches, allowing them a little more rest for the bumps and bruises that accrue across an 82-game season.
The Predators, on the other hand, finished their regular season on Monday, April 15. A Sunday start gives them five days off between games, which is already pushing it in terms of too much time off.
The rest of the schedule was announced later in the evening. Here is the complete schedule with times in the Pacific timezone:
- Sunday, April 21 - 7 p.m. - Game 1 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver
- Tuesday, April 23 - 7 p.m. - Game 2 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver
- Friday, April 26 - 4:30 p.m. - Game 3 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville
- Sunday, April 28 - 2 p.m. - Game 4 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville
- Tuesday, April 30 - TBD - Game 5 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver (if necessary)
- Friday, May 3 - TBD - Game 6 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville (if necessary)
- Sunday, May 5 - TBD - Game 7 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver (if necessary)
In Canada, all of the games will be broadcast on Sportsnet, while the U.S. will see Game 1 on ESPN, Game 2 on ESPN2, and Games 3 and 4 on TBS and streamed on MAX, formerly known as HBO. TruTV will also carry Game 4, while the U.S. broadcasters for Games 5-7 haven't been announced for any playoff series.
The schedule makers had to work around the already scheduled events at each team's arena, which could present a particular challenge if there is a Game 7 in Vancouver. Pearl Jam will be at Rogers Arena on May 4 and May 6 — a Game 7 on May 5 would mean a complete takedown of the Pearl Jam stage only to put it back up for the concert the following night.
Here's the schedule with the events scheduled at each arena to show the challenge the schedule makers faced:
April 21 - Game 1 at Rogers Arena
April 22
April 23 - Game 2 at Rogers Arena
April 24
April 25 - Tim McGraw at Bridgestone Arena
April 26 - Game 3 at Bridgestone Arena
April 27 - The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie at Bridgestone Arena
April 28 - Game 4 at Bridgestone Arena
April 29 - Justin Timberlake at Rogers Arena
April 30 - Game 5 at Rogers Arena (if necessary)
May 1 - 21 Savage at Rogers Arena
May 2
May 3 - Game 6 at Bridgestone Arena (if necessary)
May 4 - Pearl Jam at Rogers Arena; Gloria Trevi at Bridgestone Arena
May 5 - Game 7 at Rogers Arena (if necessary)
May 6 - Pearl Jam at Rogers Arena
What would be easiest for the crew at Rogers Arena, of course, is if the Canucks avoid the series going to seven games altogether.
