NHL Playoffs 2015: TV Schedule, Live Stream Info, Odds for Saturday's Round 1

Whether one craves down-to-the-wire drama and epic comebacks or the simple upset, the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs have already delivered heading into the postseason's first weekend.

Although half of the series are already headed toward a Game 3 in a new location, there's still work left to be done for eight teams that enter Game 2 with so much on the line. Two road teams have the chance to head back home with a shocking 2-0 advantage, while the top seed in both conferences look to make it two-for-two at home to start the playoffs.

With that in mind, let's take a look into Saturday's matchups and preview viewing information as well as odds.

NHL Playoff Schedule for Saturday, April 18

Time (ET)	Matchups (Game 2)	TV
3 p.m.	Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning (DET leads 1-0)	NBC, CBC
3 p.m.	Minnesota Wild at St. Louis Blues (MIN leads 1-0)	NBC, SN
8 p.m.	Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers (NYR leads 1-0)	NBC, CBC
10:30 p.m.	Winnipeg Jets at Anaheim Ducks (ANA leads 1-0)	NBCSN, SN

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Odds for Saturday's Games

Matchup (Spread)	Over/Under	Moneyline
Detroit at Tampa Bay (-1.5)	5	DET 38-25, TB 25-42
Minnesota at St. Louis (-1.5)	5	MIN 123-100, STL 25-34
Pittsburgh at New York Rangers (-1.5)	5	PIT 161-100, NYR 100-179
Winnipeg at Anaheim (-1.5)	5.5	WPG 6-5, ANA 100-133

Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated April 17 at 10 p.m. ET

Saturday's Game to Watch: Minnesota vs. St. Louis (Game 2)

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

If this was supposed to be the year things finally clicked in the postseason for the St. Louis Blues, their opponent apparently didn't get the memo.

The Minnesota Wild executed an early gut-punch to take Game 1 in St. Louis 4-2, taking an early lead and withstanding extended pushes from the Blues. Road warriors for the second half of the season, the victory marked their 12th road win in their last 13—something that will inevitably doom the Blues if it continues.

But while much of St. Louis may be in panic-mode, the early deficit may allow the Blues to settle in. After all, they led 2-0 in each of their last two first-round series before letting them slip—so this is new territory. 

And if recent history is any indication, they could be on the way up as Scottrade General noted:

A long series may have been preferred for the Blues after winning the division, but the Wild haven't made that an option with the way they're playing entering the playoffs. And from the sounds of goaltender Jake Allen's comments to Lou Korac of NHL.com, they expected some sort of adversity:

The Blues may not have expected to win four straight. But if they aspire not to lose four straight, head coach Ken Hitchcock will have to do some shaking up in the series.

It was no lack for effort that doomed the Blues in Game 1, but rather a sterling game plan from the Wild, who executed their speed advantage to perfection while limiting St. Louis in the middle of the ice. Such a plan leaves the Blues unable to attack with their forechecking forwards who otherwise wreak havoc.

That limited the Blues to just 21 shots in Game 1, forcing just 19 saves from red-hot goaltender Devan Dubnyk—the same amount of blocks that his Wild teammates produced. Just over half of the St. Louis attempts made it to the net.

It's not a simple matter of getting hot at the right time—the Wild are for real, and have a method that will push the Blues out of the Stanley Cup conversation quickly if St. Louis doesn't adjust accordingly.