NHL Playoff Bracket: Penguins Kick Off Stanley Cup Playoffs Wednesday Night Against Senators

Kicking off the 2010 NHL postseason will be the 2009 Stanley Cup champion Penguins, who take on the No. 5 seed Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET.

There will be four games total on opening night, followed by three more on Thursday. Friday will feature five contests including the Chicago-Nashville Game 1 matchup.

Seedings:

Eastern Conference
Washington Capitals (1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (8)
New Jersey Devils (2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (7)
Buffalo Sabres (3) vs. Boston Bruins (6)
Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Ottawa Senators (5)

Western Conference
San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (8)
Chicago Blackhawks (2) vs.Nashville Predators (7)
Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. Los Angeles Kings (6)
Phoenix Coyotes (4) vs. Detroit Red Wings (5)

Below is the schedule for Games 1-4 of the first round of the NHL postseason (all times Eastern):

Wednesday, April 14

• 7 p.m.: Ottawa (5) at Pittsburgh (4)
  Game 1
• 7:30 p.m.: Philadelphia (7) at New Jersey (2)
  Game 1
• 10 p.m.: Detroit (5) at Phoenix (4)
  Game 1
• 10:30 p.m.: Colorado (8) at San Jose (1)
  Game 1

Thursday, April 15

• 7 p.m.: Boston (6) at Buffalo (3)
  Game 1
• 7 p.m.: Montreal (8) at Washington (1)
  Game 1
• 10 p.m.: Los Angeles (6) at Vancouver (3)
  Game 1

Friday, April 16

• 7 p.m.: Ottawa at Pittsburgh
  Game 2
• 7:30 p.m.: Philadelphia at New Jersey
  Game 2
• 8:30 p.m.: Nashville (7) at Chicago (2)
  Game 1
• 10 p.m.: Detroit at Phoenix
  Game 2
• 10:30 p.m.: Colorado at San Jose
  Game 2

Saturday, April 17

• 1 p.m.: Boston at Buffalo
  Game 2
• 7 p.m.: Montreal at Washington
  Game 2
• 10 p.m.: Los Angeles at Vancouver
  Game 2

Sunday, April 18

• 3 p.m.: Phoenix at Detroit
  Game 3
• 6 p.m.: New Jersey at Philadelphia
  Game 3
• 6:30 p.m.: Pittsburgh at Ottawa
  Game 3
• 8:30 p.m.: Nashville at Chicago
  Game 2
• 9:30 p.m.: San Jose at Colorado
  Game 3

Monday, April 19

• 7 p.m.: Buffalo at Boston
  Game 3
• 7 p.m.: Washington at Montreal
  Game 3
• 10 p.m.: Vancouver at Los Angeles
  Game 3

Tuesday, April 20

• 6:30 p.m.: Phoenix at Detroit
  Game 4
• 7 p.m.: Pittsburgh at Ottawa
  Game 4
• 7:30 p.m.: New Jersey at Philadelphia
  Game 4
• 9 p.m.: Chicago at Nashville
  Game 3
• 10 p.m.: San Jose at Colorado
  Game 4