NHL Playoff Bracket 2018: Known Schedule Details for Stanley Cup Final

The Stanley Cup Final is the NHL's signature event, and with the Eastern Conference Final underway and the Western Conference Final starting Saturday, the championship round is within sight.

The Washington Capitals got the jump on the Tampa Bay Lightning with a 4-2 victory Friday night in Tampa. While the Lightning were 4-0 down in the second period, they also lost their second-round series' opener at home to the Boston Bruins before bouncing back and winning four straight games.

The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Presidents' Trophy-winning Nashville Predators in the seventh game of their series Thursday night and will have home-ice advantage over the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. The expansion team defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games to get to the conference final.

Game 1 in the Western Conference Final starts at 7 p.m. ET Saturday.

The NHL has not announced an official start date to the Stanley Cup Final, but a look at the conference final schedules allows an estimate of when the championship series is likely to start.

The earliest possible ending date for the conference finals is May 18, which would be the end date if both series ended in sweeps.

If that happened, the Stanley Cup Final would likely begin Tuesday, May 22. That would allow for two full days of rest for the Western Conference winner and a media day for both teams.

If the Western Conference series goes the maximum seven games, that series would end Thursday, May 24. Using the same scenario of two days of rest and a media day, the Stanley Cup Final could begin Monday, May 28.

The start date for the 2017 Stanley Cup Final was May 29.

Here's a look at the dates and times for the two conference finals.

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Conference Finals schedule (All times ET)

Eastern Conference Final: Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Game 1: Capitals 4, Lightning 2, Capitals lead series 1-0
Game 2: May 13 at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
Game 3: May 15 at Washington, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
Game 4: May 17 at Washington, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
*Game 5: May 19 at Tampa Bay, 7:15 p.m. (NBC)
*Game 6: May 21 at Washington, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
*Game 7: May 23 at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)

Western Conference Final: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets

Game 1: May 12 at Winnipeg, 7 p.m. (NBC)
Game 2: May 14 at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
Game 3: May 16 at Vegas, 9 p.m. (NBCSN)
Game 4: May 18 at Vegas, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
*Game 5: May 20 at Winnipeg, 3 p.m. (NBC)
*Game 6: May 22 at Vegas, 9 p.m. (NBCSN)
*Game 7: May 24 at Winnipeg (NBCSN)

The Capitals are led by Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson and goaltender Braden Holtby. Washington's six-game second-round series finally saw them oust the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had defeated the Caps in the two previous years.

Tampa Bay's speed and quickness were decisive in their victory over the Bruins, and Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos are going to play key roles against the Capitals.

The Golden Knights have surprised everyone this year, and they should not be underestimated. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has been on top of his game through the first two rounds, and he has gotten plenty of support from Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith and Colin Miller.

The Jets won three of four games in Nashville in their second-round series, and this team is rolling. Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglien and hard-shooting Patrik Laine will have a chance to make their mark on this series.