NHL playoff matchups determined after frantic final night

It took until the final game on the final night of the NHL regular season to set the matchups for the first round of the playoffs.

Naturally, the battle for the Stanley Cup starts in less than 72 hours.

Technically there's still one more inconsequential, weather-postponed game to be played on Sunday, but all eight first-round series are set. The playoffs begin Monday when the Metropolitan Division-champion Carolina Hurricanes host the Boston Bruins in Game 1.

Nashville blowing a four-goal lead and losing to last-place Arizona hours after Dallas beat Anaheim with an emergency backup goaltender in net for the third period flipped two matchups in the Western Conference. The Predators will now open at top-seeded Colorado with the Stars going to Calgary to face the Flames.

Colorado lost to Dallas in the playoffs two years ago and now may have an easier path through the playoffs against Nashville, which could be without injured starting goalie Juuse Saros. The winner of the Avalanche-Predators series will face whichever team comes out of what promises to be a bruising showdown between Minnesota and St. Louis.

The Wild and Blues were the first series to get locked in, but it took until Friday night to determine who had home ice. After Minnesota beat Colorado and St. Louis lost to recently eliminated Vegas, the series will begin in St. Paul on Monday.

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers open at home against the Los Angeles Kings with the winner advancing to the survivor of Calgary-Dallas. The Oilers haven't won a round since 2017.

The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't won a playoff series since 2004 and face a major challenge trying to break that trend against the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The