The Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs is officially underway. After a wild opening weekend that saw the Colorado Avalanche outlast the Minnesota Wild in a 15-goal thriller and the Carolina Hurricanes shut out the Philadelphia Flyers, the broadcast schedule is heating up. Every game in the Second Round is nationally televised in the United States and Canada. Below is the complete TV and streaming guide for the 2026 NHL Second Round, including tonight’s doubleheader on ESPN.
2026 NHL Playoff TV Schedule Overview
The hunt for the Stanley Cup is televised through a dual-network partnership between The Walt Disney Company (ABC/ESPN) and Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT/TBS). During the first round, games are staggered throughout the day to ensure fans can catch nearly every puck drop.
For cord-cutters, ESPN+ is the essential home for all games airing on ABC and ESPN. Meanwhile, Max subscribers with the B/R Sports Add-on can stream every game broadcast on TNT and TBS. This is particularly important for tonight’s highly anticipated playoff debut of the Utah Mammoth, which will be a national broadcast on TBS.
Most first-round games will also be available on local Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) for fans in the home markets, but the national broadcasts on ABC, ESPN, and TNT will be the primary source for the general audience.
Tonight’s NHL Playoff TV Schedule
Monday, May 4, 2026
- 7:00 PM ET: Philadelphia Flyers at Carolina Hurricanes (Game 2) | ESPN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports
- 9:30 PM ET: Anaheim Ducks at Vegas Golden Knights (Game 1) | ESPN, SN, SN360, TVA Sports
Second Round: Series-by-Series TV Schedules
Eastern Conference
Buffalo Sabres (1A) vs. Montreal Canadiens (3A)
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | TV / Streaming |
| Game 1 | Wed, May 6 | 7:00 PM | TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC |
| Game 2 | Fri, May 8 | 7:00 PM | TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC |
| Game 3 | Sun, May 10 | 7:00 PM | ESPN, SN, CBC |
| Game 4 | Tue, May 12 | TBD | ESPN |
Carolina Hurricanes (1M) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (3M)
Carolina leads series 1-0
| Game | Date | Result/Time | TV / Streaming |
| Game 1 | Sat, May 2 | CAR 3, PHI 0 | ABC, SN, TVA Sports |
| Game 2 | Mon, May 4 | 7:00 PM | ESPN, SN, CBC |
| Game 3 | Thu, May 7 | 8:00 PM | TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC |
| Game 4 | Sat, May 9 | 6:00 PM | TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC |
Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche (1C) vs. Minnesota Wild (3C)
Colorado leads series 1-0
| Game | Date | Result/Time | TV / Streaming |
| Game 1 | Sun, May 3 | COL 9, MIN 6 | TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC |
| Game 2 | Tue, May 5 | 8:00 PM | ESPN, SN, CBC |
| Game 3 | Sat, May 9 | 9:00 PM | TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, OMNI |
| Game 4 | Mon, May 11 | TBD | ESPN |
Vegas Golden Knights (1P) vs. Anaheim Ducks (3P)
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | TV / Streaming |
| Game 1 | Mon, May 4 | 9:30 PM | ESPN, SN, SN360 |
| Game 2 | Wed, May 6 | 9:30 PM | TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC |
| Game 3 | Fri, May 8 | 9:30 PM | TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC |
| Game 4 | Sun, May 10 | 9:30 PM | ESPN, SN, SN360 |
2026 First Round Results & Series Recap
Eastern Conference
- Buffalo Sabres (1A) vs. Boston Bruins (1WC)
- Result: Buffalo wins series 4–2
- Recap: The Sabres’ offense proved too much, closing out the series with a decisive 4–1 win in Game 6.
- Carolina Hurricanes (1M) vs. Ottawa Senators (2WC)
- Result: Carolina wins series 4–0
- Recap: A dominant defensive performance led the Canes to the first sweep of the 2026 postseason.
- Philadelphia Flyers (3M) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (2M)
- Result: Philadelphia wins series 4–2
- Recap: The Flyers secured the Keystone State battle with a 1–0 shutout in overtime during Game 6.
- Tampa Bay Lightning (2A) vs. Montreal Canadiens (3A)
- Result: Series tied 3–3
- Next: Game 7 on Sunday, May 3.
Western Conference
- Colorado Avalanche (1C) vs. Los Angeles Kings (2WC)
- Result: Colorado wins series 4–0
- Recap: The Avalanche cruised into the second round, outscoring the Kings 13–5 over four games.
- Minnesota Wild (3C) vs. Dallas Stars (2C)
- Result: Minnesota wins series 4–2
- Recap: The Wild used a strong Game 6 performance (5–2 win) to punch their ticket to the semifinals.
- Vegas Golden Knights (1P) vs. Utah Mammoth (1WC)
- Result: Vegas wins series 4–2
- Recap: After a scare early in the series, the Golden Knights won three straight to advance.
- Anaheim Ducks (3P) vs. Edmonton Oilers (2P)
- Result: Anaheim wins series 4–2
- Recap: The Ducks pulled off the upset of the West, eliminating the high-powered Oilers in six games.
NHL Playoffs 2026 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What channel are the NHL Playoffs on today? Today’s opening games (Saturday, April 18) are spread across ABC, TNT, ESPN, and TBS. The first game of the day between Boston and Buffalo is on ABC.
How can I watch the Utah Mammoth playoff game? The Mammoth’s first-ever playoff game against the Vegas Golden Knights will air nationally on TBS at 10:00 PM ET. It can also be streamed via the Max app with the B/R Sports Add-on.
Will first-round NHL games be blacked out? National broadcasts on ABC and ESPN are generally not subject to blackouts. However, some TNT and TBS games in the first round may be blacked out in local markets if a local RSN is carrying the game.
What channel are the NHL Playoffs on today? Tonight’s playoff action (Monday, April 27) is broadcast exclusively on ESPN. The night kicks off with Philadelphia at Pittsburgh at 7:00 PM ET, followed by Vegas at Utah at 9:30 PM ET.
How can I watch the Utah Mammoth playoff game? The Mammoth’s Game 4 matchup against the Golden Knights will air nationally on ESPN at 9:30 PM ET. Local fans in Utah can also catch the game on Utah16 or SCRIPPS.
Are any teams already through to the second round? Yes. Both the Carolina Hurricanes (sweeping Ottawa) and the Colorado Avalanche (sweeping Los Angeles) have advanced and are currently awaiting their Round 2 opponents.
NHL Playoff Resources
- [Printable] Official 2026 NHL Playoff Bracket (PDF): Download our finalized, high-resolution bracket for your office pool.
- [AI Analysis] 2026 NHL AI Predictions & Stanley Cup Probabilities: See which teams our model favors to advance to the second round.
- [Interactive] Custom NHL Bracket Maker: Build your own postseason path and share your picks with friends.
Download the 2026 NHL Bracket
Get ready for every power play and overtime thriller. Click the button below to download your official high-res printable bracket.
