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Conference Semifinals Start Thursday

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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