Here’s the full television schedule for the Stanley Cup Playoffs 2018 first-round series between the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets
The Stanley Cup Playoffs 2018 are about to start. With most of the regular season done with, the postseason schedules are slowly starting to trickle out. Though some of the times have not yet been set in stone, the dates have been. In the first round, the Washington Capitals will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
By the numbers, this is a fairly even matchup. The Capitals won the season series 3-1-0 against the Blue Jackets, although the latter outshot the former in each game. Washington comes in as the hotter team, but Columbus has been playing well too.
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Let’s take a look at their full TV schedule. Game 1 will take place on Thursday, April 12 starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. It’ll be aired on USA Network, SN360, and TVA Sports. On Sunday, April 15, Game 2 will happen at or 7:30 p.m ET on NBCSN, TVA Sports, and SN360. Those first two games will be held in Washington.
Game 3 will happen at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, SN360, and TVA Sports. Likewise, Game 4 will be in Columbus on Thursday, April 19 starting at 7:30 p.m on USA Network, SN, and TVA Sports. Game 5, if needed, will be on Saturday, April 21 and will be held in Washington.
If necessary, Game 6 will be held in Columbus on Tuesday, April 23. Game 7 is scheduled for Thursday, April 25. The start times for Games 5 through 7 are to be determined.
Of all the first-round series in the Eastern Conference, this is probably the most intriguing. It honestly could go either way. Both teams enter the series with significant question marks. Can the Blue Jackets finally win a postseason series? Who will be the Capitals starting goaltender?
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Though Columbus is technically the lower seed, they aren’t a traditional underdog, as they’re a fairly popular Stanley Cup darkhorse pick. Meanwhile, Washington has won their third straight division title, but at this point, they need to have some postseason success.
Check out our Stanley Cup Playoffs hub page for more Stanley Cup Playoffs 2018 coverage!