04/29/2009 12:20 AM - From chicagoblackhawks.com: (link)
Whew. On to the second round.
After the dismissal of the President's Trophy winner and two razor-close Game 7 showdowns in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Bruins are the new owners of home ice advantage throughout the playoffs--as long they are in contention for hockey's coveted Stanley Cup. Boston will open up at home against Carolina Friday (7:30 p.m. ET) after the Hurricanes scored two goals in the last 80 seconds of Game 7 in New Jersey Tuesday night.
The other Eastern matchup will feature Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins traveling to visit Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, who pulled out their own 2-1 Game 7 heart-stopper Tuesday. That series begins Saturday afternoon in D.C. (1 p.m. ET)
The matchups in the Western Conference were set Monday night after the No. 8 Anaheim Ducks closed out intrastate rival and top seed San Jose in six, and Chicago's young Blackhawks did the same six-and-out number on the Flames at the Saddledome. Anaheim travels to Detroit to open its second-round series Friday (7:30 p.m. ET) in a battle of the last two Stanley Cup championship teams, while Chicago travels to Vancouver to open its conference semifinal series in the second round's opening game Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET.
Here is the complete schedule for the Eastern and Western conference semifinals:
| SERIES I |
| #1 |
 |
vs. |
 |
#6 |
|
NETWORK |
| Friday, May 1 |
at Boston, 7:30 p.m. |
VERSUS (JIP), TSN |
| Sunday, May 3 |
at Boston, 7:30 p.m. |
VERSUS, TSN |
| Wednesday, May 6 |
at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. |
VERSUS (JIP), TSN |
| Friday, May 8 |
at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. |
VERSUS (JIP), TSN |
| *Sunday, May 10 |
at Boston, 7:30 p.m. |
VERSUS, TSN |
| *Tuesday, May 12 |
at Carolina, 7:00 p.m. |
VERSUS, TSN |
| *Thursday, May 14 |
at Boston, TBD |
TSN |
| SERIES J |
| #2 |
 |
vs. |
 |
#4 |
|
NETWORK |
| Saturday, May 2 |
at Washington, 1:00 p.m. |
NBC, CBC, RDS |
| Monday, May 4 |
at Washington, 7:00 p.m. |
VERSUS, CBC, RDS |
| Wednesday, May 6 |
at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. |
VERSUS, CBC, RDS |
| Friday, May 8 |
at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. |
VERSUS, CBC, RDS |
| *Saturday, May 9 |
at Washington, 7:00 p.m. |
VERSUS, CBC, RDS |
| *Monday, May 11 |
at Pittsburgh, TBD |
VERSUS, CBC, RDS |
| *Wednesday, May 13 |
at Washington, 7:00 p.m. |
VERSUS, CBC, RDS |
| SERIES K |
| #2 |
 |
vs. |
 |
#8 |
|
NETWORK |
| Friday, May 1 |
at Detroit, 7:00 p.m. |
VERSUS, TSN2 |
| Sunday, May 3 |
at Detroit, 2:00 p.m. |
NBC, TSN |
| Tuesday, May 5 |
at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. |
VERSUS, TSN |
| Thursday, May 7 |
at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. |
VERSUS, TSN |
| *Sunday, May 10 |
at Detroit, 5:00 p.m. |
TSN |
| *Tuesday, May 12 |
at Anaheim, TBD |
VERSUS, TSN |
| *Thursday, May 14 |
at Detroit, TBD |
VERSUS, TSN |
| SERIES L |
| #3 |
 |
vs. |
 |
#4 |
|
NETWORK |
| Thursday, April 30 |
at Vancouver, 9:00 p.m. |
CBC, VERSUS |
| Saturday, May 2 |
at Vancouver, 9:00 p.m. |
CBC, VERSUS |
| Tuesday, May 5 |
at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. |
CBC, VERSUS |
| Thursday, May 7 |
at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. |
CBC, VERSUS |
| *Saturday, May 9 |
at Vancouver, 10:30 p.m |
CBC, VERSUS |
| *Monday, May 11 |
at Chicago, 9:00 p.m. |
CBC, VERSUS (JIP) |
| *Thursday, May 14 |
at Vancouver, TBD |
CBC, VERSUS |
* - if necessary |
