The Ottawa Senators and Carolina Hurricanes opened their first-round playoff series Saturday, with Carolina setting the tone early on home ice.

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How to Watch Senators vs Hurricanes

• When: Monday, April 20, 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• TV Channel: ESPN2
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

The Hurricanes took a 1–0 series lead with a 2–0 win in Game 1 in Raleigh, powered by Frederik Andersen’s 22-save shutout and goals from Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall. The game was tightly played throughout, with Carolina outshooting Ottawa 27–22 and controlling the pace despite going 0-for-5 on the power play. Ottawa generated a late push, including a power play in the final minutes, but couldn’t solve Andersen as Carolina closed it out defensively.

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This opener showed exactly where the edge lies. Carolina’s structure and defensive discipline limited high-quality chances, while Ottawa struggled to convert offensively even when opportunities came late. The Hurricanes also entered the series as the Eastern Conference’s top seed, reinforcing their status as favorites. Still, the Senators have shown they can compete, winning multiple matchups late in the regular season, and will look to adjust offensively heading into Game 2, which remains in Raleigh.

With a shutout win, home ice, and control of the series, Carolina holds early momentum, but if Ottawa can find scoring support and capitalize on chances, this matchup still has room to tighten quickly.

This is a great NHL matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

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The Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres open Game 1 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series Sunday in Buffalo, with the Sabres entering as Atlantic Division champions.

MORE:5 first-round bold predictions for the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs

How to Watch Bruins vs Sabres

• When: Sunday, April 19, 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• TV Channel: ESPN
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

Buffalo finished the regular season at 50-23-9 (109 points) to win the Atlantic Division, while Boston earned the top wild-card spot at 45-27-10 (100 points).

Game 1 will be played in Buffalo, as the Sabres hold home-ice advantage in the series. The Sabres have been one of the NHL’s hottest teams down the stretch, clinching the division after a dominant second half and ending a 14-year playoff drought, while Boston surged late to lock in its postseason return after missing last year.

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This matchup has been tight all season. Boston won 3 of 4 regular-season meetings, including a 4–3 overtime win in March, but Buffalo enters with the stronger overall profile, averaging 3.45 goals per game while allowing just 2.93 goals per game.

The Bruins lean on David Pastrňák and a resurgent Jeremy Swayman in net, while the Sabres counter with a high-powered attack led by Tage Thompson and a deep roster that’s driven their late-season surge.

With home ice and momentum, Buffalo enters Game 1 as the slight favorite, but Boston’s experience and edge in the season series set up what should be a tightly contested opener.

This is a great NHL matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

Live Stream Bruins vs Sabres with Fubo: Start your free trial now!

With Fubo, you can catch the NHL Playoffs without cable on your phone, TV, or tablet. Fubo offers a wide array of sports and entertainment channels, including local sports packages and top national channels such as ABC, FOX, CBS, ESPN, FS1, MTV, Comedy Central, and more. The best part is you can try it out today for free.

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The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning open Game 1 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series Sunday in Tampa, in one of the most evenly matched series in the Eastern Conference.

MORE:5 first-round bold predictions for the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs

How to Watch Canadiens vs Lightning

• When: Sunday, April 19, 2026
• Time: 5:45 PM ET
• TV Channel: TNT / truTV
• Live Stream: DIRECTV (try for free)

Game 1 is officially set for Sunday, April 19, at 5:45 p.m. ET in Tampa, with national coverage on TNT, as the Lightning host at the Amalie Arena.

Both teams finished the regular season with 106 points, but Tampa Bay (50-26-6) earned the No. 2 seed and home-ice advantage over Montreal (48-24-10) via the regulation-wins tiebreaker (40–34). This matchup was not finalized until the final days of the regular season, underscoring just how tight the Atlantic Division race was.

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This series is about as even as it gets. Montreal actually held a slight edge in the season series at 2-1-1, including two April wins by a combined 6–2 score, while Tampa Bay went 2-2-0 against the Canadiens. The star power is obvious on both sides. Nick Suzuki (101 points) and Cole Caufield (51 goals) lead Montreal, while Nikita Kucherov (130 points) headlines Tampa Bay’s offense alongside elite goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.

With identical point totals, recent familiarity, and contrasting styles, Montreal’s speed and scoring depth vs. Tampa Bay’s experience and goaltending, Game 1 sets up as one of the most competitive openers of the entire first round, where home ice could be the only real separator early in the series.

This is a great NHL matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

Live Stream Canadiens vs Lightning with DIRECTV: Start your free trial now!

With DIRECTV, you can catch the NHL Playoffs without cable on your phone, TV, or tablet. They offer a wide array of sports and entertainment channels, including local sports packages and top national channels. The best part is you can try it out today for free.

Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

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