NHL Playoffs 2016: Schedule and Latest Odds for Stanley Cup Bracket Picture

When it comes to postseasons, the NHL provides one of the most exciting as two months of white-knuckle, high-intensity play provides drama almost every night.

After three games on Wednesday night that saw a convincing Pittsburgh Penguins victory, a Tampa Bay Lightning come-from-behind win and an overtime thriller between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues, the party has officially started.

Here is the remaining schedule with available television coverage and times for the rest of the playoffs:

Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders
Game 1 at Panthers	Thursday, Apr. 14	8 p.m. ET	CNBC
Game 2 at Panthers	Friday, Apr. 15	7:30 p.m. ET	NHL Network
Game 3 at Islanders	Sunday, Apr. 17	8 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 4 at Islanders	Wednesday, Apr. 20	8 p.m. ET	USA Network
Game 5 at Panthers*	Friday, Apr. 22	TBD	TBD
Game 6 at Islanders*	Sunday, Apr. 24	TBD	TBD
Game 7 at Panthers*	Tuesday, April 26	TBD	TBD
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings
Game 2 at Lightning	Friday, Apr. 15	7 p.m. ET	CNBC
Game 3 at Red Wings	Sunday, Apr. 17	7 p.m. ET	CNBC
Game 4 at Red Wings	Tuesday, Apr. 19	7 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 5 at Lightning*	Thursday, Apr. 21	TBD	TBD
Game 6 at Red Wings*	Sunday, Apr. 24	TBD	TBD
Game 7 at Lightning*	Tuesday, April 26	TBD	TBD
Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Game 1 at Capitals	Thursday, Apr. 14	7 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 2 at Capitals	Saturday, Apr. 16	7 p.m. ET	CNBC
Game 3 at Flyers	Monday, Apr. 18	7 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 4 at Flyers	Wednesday, Apr. 20	7 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 5 at Capitals*	Friday, Apr. 22	TBD	TBD
Game 6 at Flyers*	Sunday, Apr. 24	TBD	TBD
Game 7 at Capitals*	Wednesday, Apr. 27	TBD	TBD
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
Game 2 at Penguins	Saturday, Apr. 16	3 p.m. ET	NBC
Game 3 at Rangers	Tuesday, Apr. 19	7 p.m. ET	USA Network
Game 4 at Rangers	Thursday, Apr. 21	TBD	Sportsnet
Game 5 at Penguins*	Saturday, Apr. 23	TBD	TBD
Game 6 at Rangers*	Monday, Apr. 25	TBD	TBD
Game 7 at Penguins*	Wednesday, Apr. 27	TBD	TBD
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild
Game 1 at Stars	Thursday, Apr. 14	9:30 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 2 at Stars	Saturday, Apr. 16	8 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 3 at Wild	Monday, Apr. 18	8:30 p.m. ET	CNBC
Game 4 at Wild	Wednesday, Apr. 20	9:30 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 5 at Stars*	Friday, Apr. 22	TBD	TBD
Game 6 at Wild*	Sunday, Apr. 24	TBD	TBD
Game 7 at Stars*	Tuesday, April 26	TBD	TBD
St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Game 2 at Blues	Friday, Apr. 15	8 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 3 at Blackhawks	Sunday, Apr. 17	3 p.m. ET	NBC
Game 4 at Blackhawks	Tuesday, Apr. 19	9:30 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 5 at Blues*	Thursday, Apr. 21	TBD	TBD
Game 6 at Blackhawks*	Saturday, Apr. 23	TBD	TBD
Game 7 at Blues*	Monday, Apr. 25	TBD	TBD
Anaheim Ducks vs. Nashville Predators
Game 1 at Ducks	Friday, Apr. 15	10:30 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 2 at Ducks	Sunday, Apr. 17	10:30 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 3 at Predators	Tuesday, Apr. 19	9:30 p.m. ET	USA Network
Game 4 at Predators	Thursday, Apr. 21	8 p.m. ET	CNBC
Game 5 at Ducks*	Saturday, Apr. 23	TBD	TBD
Game 6 at Predators*	Monday, Apr. 25	TBD	TBD
Game 7 at Ducks*	Wednesday, Apr. 27	TBD	TBD
Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks
Game 1 at Kings	Thursday, Apr. 14	10:30 p.m. ET	CNBC
Game 2 at Kings	Saturday, Apr. 16	10:30 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 3 at Sharks	Monday, Apr. 18	10:30 p.m. ET	NBCSN
Game 4 at Sharks	Wednesday, Apr. 20	10:30 p.m. ET	USA Network
Game 5 at Kings*	Friday, Apr. 22	TBD	TBD
Game 6 at Sharks*	Sunday, Apr. 24	TBD	TBD
Game 7 at Kings*	Tuesday, April 26	TBD	TBD

With five series still waiting to get underway, this is how Vegas views each team's chance to win the Cup, per Odds Shark:

Team	Odds
Anaheim Ducks	8/1
Chicago Blackhawks	15/2
Dallas Stars	12/1
Detroit Red Wings	33/1
Florida Panthers	20/1
Los Angeles Kings	7/1
Minnesota Wild	28/1
Nashville Predators	25/1
New York Islanders	25/1
New York Rangers	16/1
Philadelphia Flyers	33/1
Pittsburgh Penguins	9/1
San Jose Sharks	16/1
St. Louis Blues	10/1
Tampa Bay Lightning	20/1
Washington Capitals	4/1

Caps Are Cup Favorites

The Washington Capitals have been the class of the NHL this season, winning the President's Trophy with 120 points. It's the most points recorded by an NHL team in a single season since the 121 points Washington put back up in the 2009-10 season. 

Hopefully for them, things will work out a bit differently in 2016 than they did six years ago when they lost in seven games to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round. 

Given how well-rounded a team the Capitals are this year, they'll probably advance deeper into the postseason—a lot deeper. 

Washington has scored 248 goals this season, second-most in the league, trailing only the high-powered Dallas Stars offense that features the likes of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza. 

For the Capitals, it comes down to just one scorer, and that is Alexander Ovechkin. 

For the fourth straight year, Ovechkin has led the league in scoring, and he's put up 50 or more goals for the third straight year.  

He's the definition of a sniper, a winger that has a sweet spot around the left faceoff circle and can receive a pass and snap a ridiculous wrist shot into the back of the goal. 

He's been able to recreate that kind of scoring in the postseason, having scored 36 goals in 72 games, but teams have been able to get around the Capitals by giving Ovechkin his due and shutting down the rest of the team. 

This year is different though, as the Capitals boast five other players that have recorded 20 or more goals, a far better supporting offensive cast than what he's received over the past five years:

Year	Ovechkin Goals	Teammates with 20+ goals	Playoff Results
2015-16	50	Evgeny Kuznetsov (20), Nicklas Backstrom (20), Justin Williams (22), T.J. Oshie (26), Jason Chimera (20)	?
2014-15	53	Marcus Johansson (20), Troy Brouwer (21)	Lost 2nd Round
2013-14	51	Joel Ward (24), Troy Brouwer (25)	None
2012-13	32 (Strike-Shortened Season)	None	Lost 1st Round
2011-12	38	Alexander Semin (21), Jason Chimera (20)	Lost 2nd Round
2010-11	32	Alexander Semin (28), Mike Knuble (24)	Lost 2nd Round

On top of that, the Capitals have the stellar play of goaltender Braden Holtby, who tied Martin Brodeur's single-season record of 48 wins. 

He also recorded career bests in save percentage and quality starts since getting regular playing time in 2012. Holtby is a workhorse who has started a combined 138 games over the past two years and should be able to handle the workload of a hectic playoff schedule. 

With that combination leading the team, it's no mystery why the Capitals are expected to go so far in the postseason. 

Stats courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com.