One of the more deceptive teams in the NHL, the Nashville Predators were one of those groups few thought would be playing hockey during the last half of April. But after a legendary points streak, Nashville did just enough to end the season in one of the two wild card spots in the NHL Playoffs.
If you’re pulling for one of the underdogs in the postseason, or if you’re a Predators fan hoping for the team to find themselves back in the Stanley Cup Final, you might be curious about who your team is playing and when those games are taking place.
Who are the Nashville Predators playing in Round 1 of the NHL Playoffs?
The Nashville Predators will face the Vancouver Canucks in Round 1, and we’re seeing a pair of teams that took different routes to the playoffs. Vancouver paced the Western Conference for most of the season and ended with the second-best points total behind Dallas. Nashville never looked like they were completely in it, but an 18-game points streak set the stage for a wild card berth.
What dates and times are the Predators playing in Round 1?
The Canucks and Preds will kick off their Round 1 series at 10 PM EST on Sunday, April 21st, with Nashville traveling to British Columbia for the opening contest. Keep reading for insight on when Games 2 through 7 take place - all times are EST:
- Game 2: Tuesday, April 23rd at 10 PM
- Game 3: Friday, April 26th at 7:30 PM
- Game 4: Sunday, April 28th at 5 PM
- Game 5: Tuesday, April 30th TBD (if necessary)
- Game 6: Friday, May 3rd TBD (if necessary)
- Game 7: Sunday, May 5th TBD (if necessary)
How to watch the Predators in Round 1
Watch Game 1 on ESPN if you’re in the U.S., and if you’re in Canada, TVAS, SN360, and SN will broadcast all the action.
- Game 2: ESPN2, TVAS, SN
- Game 3: MAX, TBS, TVAS, SN
- Game 4: MAX, TBS, truTV, SN, TVAS
- Game 5: TBD
- Game 6: TBD
- Game 7: TBD
Catch all the action on fuboTV if you would like to stream the games instead of rolling with cable.
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What to look for in the Predators First Round matchup
The Predators didn’t fare well against the Canucks during the regular season, with the latter taking all three matchups. Vancouver also outscored them 13 to 6, so Juuse Saros must be ready to deal with players like J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and Quinn Hughes, who are just a few of many players on this mighty Canucks team who can score often.
(Data provided by Hockey-Reference)