NHL Playoff Schedule 2012: Dates, Game Times and Full Coverage Info

With the NHL revealing the 2012 playoff schedule on Easter Sunday, the overwhelming excitement about the start of the postseason is palpable.

The best teams in the NHL are ready to start their journey to the Stanley Cup Finals, but they know the importance of every game. That’s why the first round is always the most fun.

While every season sees a few teams get squashed, many of the greatest battles in recent history have happened in the opening round of the playoffs.

Forget March Madness folks, try on April Madness, brought to you by the NHL!

Playoff Schedule (TV and Times)

Eastern Conference

(1) New York Rangers (109 Pts) vs. (8) Ottawa Senators (92 Pts)

Thursday, April 12, 2012	7 p.m.	Ottawa at NY Rangers	NHL Network, CBC
Saturday, April 14, 2012	7 p.m.	Ottawa at NY Rangers	NBC Sports Network, CBC
Monday, April 16, 2012	7:30 p.m.	NY Rangers at Ottawa	CBC, CNBC
Wednesday, April 18, 2012	7:30 p.m.	NY Rangers at Ottawa	CBC, CNBC
*Saturday, April 21, 2012	7 p.m.	Ottawa at NY Rangers	NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Monday, April 23, 2012	TBD	NY Rangers at Ottawa	TBD
*Thursday, April 26, 2012	TBD	Ottawa at NY Rangers	TBD

(2) Boston Bruins (102 Pts) vs. (7) Washington Capitals (92 Pts)

Thursday, April 12, 2012	7:30 p.m.	Washington at Boston	NBC Sports Network, CBC
Saturday, April 14, 2012	3 p.m.	Washington at Boston	NBC, CBC
Monday, April 16, 2012	7:30 p.m.	Boston at Washington	NBC Sports Network, CBC
Thursday, April 19, 2012	7:30 p.m.	Boston at Washington	NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Saturday, April 21, 2012	3 p.m.	Washington at Boston	NBC, CBC
*Sunday, April 22, 2012	TBD	Boston at Washington	TBD
*Wednesday, April 25, 2012	TBD	Washington at Boston	TBD

(3) Florida Panthers (94 Pts) vs. (6) New Jersey Devils (102 Pts)

Friday, April 13, 2012	7 p.m.	New Jersey at Florida	NHL Network, TSN
Sunday, April 15, 2012	7:30 p.m.	New Jersey at Florida	NBC Sports Network, TSN
Tuesday, April 17, 2012	7 p.m.	Florida at New Jersey	NHL Network, TSN
Thursday, April 19, 2012	7 p.m.	Florida at New Jersey	NHL Network, TSN
*Saturday, April 21, 2012	6:30 p.m.	New Jersey at Florida	NHL Network, TSN
*Tuesday, April 24, 2012	TBD	Florida at New Jersey	TBD
*Thursday, April 26, 2012	TBD	New Jersey at Florida	TBD

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins (108 Pts) vs. (5) Philadelphia Flyers (103 Pts)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012	7:30 p.m.	Philadelphia at Pittsburgh	NBC Sports Network, TSN
Friday, April 13, 2012	7:30 p.m.	Philadelphia at Pittsburgh	NBC Sports Network, TSN
Sunday, April 15, 2012	3 p.m.	Pittsburgh at Philadelphia	NBC, TSN
Wednesday, April 18, 2012	7:30 p.m.	Pittsburgh at Philadelphia	NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Friday, April 20, 2012	7:30 p.m.	Philadelphia at Pittsburgh	NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Sunday, April 22, 2012	TBD	Pittsburgh at Philadelphia	TBD
*Tuesday, April 24, 2012	TBD	Philadelphia at Pittsburgh	TBD

Western Conference

(1) Vancouver Canucks (111 Pts) vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings (95 Pts)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012	10:30 p.m.	Los Angeles at Vancouver	CBC, NBC Sports Network
Friday, April 13, 2012	10 p.m.	Los Angeles at Vancouver	CBC, NBC Sports Network
Sunday, April 15, 2012	10:30 p.m.	Vancouver at Los Angeles	NBC Sports Network, CBC
Wednesday, April 18, 2012	10 p.m.	Vancouver at Los Angeles	NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Sunday, April 22, 2012	TBD	Los Angeles at Vancouver	TBD
*Tuesday, April 24, 2012	TBD	Vancouver at Los Angeles	TBD
*Thursday, April 26, 2012	TBD	Los Angeles at Vancouver	TBD

(2) St. Louis Blues (109 Pts) vs. (7) San Jose Sharks (96 Pts)

Thursday, April 12, 2012	7:30 p.m.	San Jose at St. Louis	CNBC, TSN
Saturday, April 14, 2012	7:30 p.m.	San Jose at St. Louis	CNBC, TSN
Monday, April 16, 2012	10 p.m.	St. Louis at San Jose	NBC Sports Network, TSN
Thursday, April 19, 2012	10:30 p.m.	St. Louis at San Jose	NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Saturday, April 21, 2012	7:30 p.m.	San Jose at St. Louis	CNBC, TSN
*Monday, April 23, 2012	TBD	St. Louis at San Jose	TBD
*Wednesday, April 25, 2012	TBD	San Jose at St. Louis	TBD

(3) Phoenix Coyotes (97 Pts) vs. (6) Chicago Blackhawks (101 Pts)

Thursday, April 12, 2012	10 p.m.	Chicago at Phoenix	NBC Sports Network, TSN
Saturday, April 14, 2012	10 p.m.	Chicago at Phoenix	NBC Sports Network, TSN
Tuesday, April 17, 2012	9 p.m.	Phoenix at Chicago	CNBC, TSN
Thursday, April 19, 2012	8 p.m.	Phoenix at Chicago	CNBC, TSN
*Saturday, April 21, 2012	10 p.m.	Chicago at Phoenix	NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Monday, April 23, 2012	TBD	Phoenix at Chicago	TBD
*Wednesday, April 25, 2012	TBD	Chicago at Phoenix	TBD

(4) Nashville Predators (104 Pts) vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings (102 Pts)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012	8 p.m.	Detroit at Nashville	CNBC, CBC
Friday, April 13, 2012	7:30 p.m.	Detroit at Nashville	CNBC, CBC
Sunday, April 15, 2012	Noon	Nashville at Detroit	NBC, CBC
Tuesday, April 17, 2012	7:30 p.m.	Nashville at Detroit	NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Friday, April 20, 2012	8 p.m.	Detroit at Nashville	CNBC, CBC
*Sunday, April 22, 2012	TBD	Nashville at Detroit	TBD
*Tuesday, April 24, 2012	TBD	Detroit at Nashville	TBD

Stanley Cup Prediction

After one of the wildest offseasons in NHL history, a revamped Flyers team spent the majority of the 2011-2012 regular season figuring out who they are. While many fans still don’t know the answer to that question, the team is obviously very dangerous.

With the potent scoring of Claude Giroux and Jaromir Jagr leading the way, the Flyers will look to out-gun their opponents. They will also lean on the solid defensive group that the organization has built and wildly inconsistent goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.

If Philadelphia can get all of their pieces moving together, they are the one team in the Eastern Conference that has a serious chance of knocking off the Pittsburgh Penguins and making a run at the championship.

Winner: Philadelphia Flyers

Check back for more on the National Hockey League as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s NHL Page to get your fill of all things hockey.

Follow @Donald_Wood