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April 18 (UPI) -- The Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings earned Game 1 wins on the first day of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Hurricanes and Islanders launched the slate Monday night in Raleigh, N.C. The 16-team playoff field will play through the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, which will start June 8.
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Each best-of-seven game series will start with two games hosted by the higher seed. The lower seed will host the next two games. The higher seed will host Game 5 and Game 7, if necessary. The lower seed will host Game 6, if necessary.
Center Sebastian Aho and right wing Stefan Noesen scored for the top-seeded Hurricanes in their 2-1 series-opening victory at PNC Arena.
"Obviously, it helps," Aho told NHL.com, when asked about his goal and the victory. "It was a big goal. It gives you a little confidence. I felt the power play was good overall."
Defenseman Brent Burns and center Martin Necas registered two assists apiece for the Hurricanes. Defenseman Ryan Pulock scored the final goal of the game 2:51 into the second period, but the wild card Islanders could not complete their rally.
The best-of-seven series will continue with Game 2 at 7 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Raleigh. The winner of the series will face the No. 2 New Jersey Devils or No. 3 New York Rangers in the second round.
Star winger David Pastrnak and the Bruins went on to beat the Florida Panthers in another Game 1 on Monday in Boston. Pastrnak, fellow wingers Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk each scored in the 3-1 victory. Left wing Matthew Tkachuk scored for the Panthers.
The top-seeded Bruins, who won an NHL-record 65 games this season, will host the wild card Panthers in Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Boston. The winner of the series will meet the No. 2 Toronto Maple Leafs or No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round.
The No. 3 Wild and No. 3 Kings each needed overtime to win their games against the No. 2 Dallas Stars and No. 2 Edmonton Oilers, respectively.
Right wing Ryan Hartman scored the game-winning with 7:40 remaining in double overtime to beat the Stars 3-2 on Monday in Dallas. Winger Kirill Kaprizov and center Sam Steel scored for the Wild in regulation. Center Roope Hintz and winger Jason Robertson scored for the Stars.
Game 2 of the series will be at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in Dallas. The winner of the series will face the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche or wild card Seattle Kraken in the second round.
The Kings beat the Oilers 4-3 in the final game of Monday's slate. They overcame a 2-0 deficit through two periods to earn the edge in the series.
Right wing Adrian Kempe scored twice for the Kings. Left wing Alex Iafallo lit the lamp for the final time when he beat goalie Stuart Skinner for the game-winner with 10:41 remaining in overtime.
Puck drop for Game 2 is scheduled for 10 p.m. Wednesday in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The winner of the series will face the top-seeded Vegas Golden Knights or wild card Winnipeg Jets in the second round.
The Stanley Cup playoffs, which air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, TNT and TBS, will continue with four games Tuesday night.
NHL playoffs
All times EDT
First round
Monday
Game 1: Hurricanes 2, Islanders 1
Game 1: Bruins 3, Panthers 1
Game 1: Wild 3, Stars 2
Game 1: Kings 4, Oilers 3
Tuesday
Game 1: Rangers at Devils at 7 p.m. on TBS
Game 1: Lightning at Maple Leafs at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 1: Jets at Golden Knights at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Game 1: Kraken at Avalanche at 10 p.m. on ESPN
Wednesday
Game 2: Islanders (0-1) at Hurricanes (1-0) at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
Game 2: Panthers (0-1) at Bruins (1-0) at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 2: Wild (1-0) at Stars (0-1) at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Game 2: Kings (1-0) at Oilers (0-1) at 10 p.m. on ESPN
Thursday
Game 2: Lightning at Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. on ESPN
Game 2: Rangers at Devils at 7:30 p.m. on TBS
Game 2: Kraken at Avalanche at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 2: Jets at Golden Knights at 10 p.m. on TBS
Friday
Game 3: Hurricanes at Islanders at 7 p.m. on TBS
Game 3: Bruins at Panthers at 7:30 p.m. on TNT
Game 3: Stars at Wild at 9:30 p.m. on TBS
Game 3: Oilers at Kings at 10 p.m. on TNT
Saturday
Game 3: Golden Knights at Jets at 4 p.m. on TBS
Game 3: Maple Leafs at Lightning at 7 p.m. on TBS
Game 3: Devils at Rangers at 8 p.m. on ABC
Game 3: Avalanche at Kraken at 10 p.m. on TBS
Sunday
Game 4: Hurricanes at Islanders at 1 p.m. on TNT
Game 4: Bruins at Panthers at 3:30 p.m. on TNT
Game 4: Stars at Wild at 6:30 p.m. on TBS
Game 4: Oilers at Kings at 9 p.m. on TBS
Monday
Game 4: Devils at Rangers at 7 p.m. on ESPN
Game 4: Maple Leafs at Lightning at 7:30 p.m. on TBS
Game 4: Golden Knights at Jets at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
Game 4: Avalanche at Kraken at 10 p.m. on TBS
April 25
Game 5 (if necessary): Kings at Oilers at TBD on TBD
Game 5 (if necessary): Islanders at Hurricanes at TBD on TBD
Game 5 (if necessary): Wild at Stars at TBD on TBD
April 26
Game 5 (if necessary): Panthers at Bruins at TBD on TBD
Game 5 (if necessary): Kraken at Avalanche at TBD on TBD
April 27
Game 5 (if necessary): Jets at Golden Knights at TBD on TBD
Game 5 (if necessary): Lightning at Maple Leafs at TBD on TBD
Game 5 (if necessary): Rangers at Devils at TBD on TBD
April 28
Game 6 (if necessary): Bruins at Panthers at TBD on TBD
Game 6 (if necessary): Hurricanes at Islanders at TBD on TBD
Game 6 (if necessary): Avalanche at Kraken at TBD on TBD
Game 6 (if necessary): Stars at Wild at TBD on TBD
April 29
Game 6 (if necessary): Oilers at Kings at TBD on TBD
Game 6 (if necessary): Golden Knights at Jets at TBD on TBD
Game 6 (if necessary): Maple Leafs at Lightning at TBD on TBD
Game 6 (if necessary): Devils at Rangers at TBD on TBD
April 30
Game 7 (if necessary): Panthers at Bruins at TBD on TBD
Game 7 (if necessary): Islanders at Hurricanes at TBD on TBD
Game 7 (if necessary): Kraken at Avalanche at TBD on TBD
Game 7 (if necessary): Wild at Stars at TBD on TBD
May 1
Game 7 (if necessary): Kings at Oilers at TBD on TBD
Game 7 (if necessary): Jets at Golden Knights at TBD on TBD
Game 7 (if necessary): Lightning at Maple Leafs at TBD on TBD
Game 7 (if necessary): Rangers at Devils at TBD on TBD
