NHL officially releases schedule for the Stanley Cup Finals

The NHL has revealed the schedule scenarios for the highly anticipated 2023 Stanley Cup Final. The final will feature the Florida Panthers, who have secured their place in the championship series, against the winner of the Western Conference Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars.

Due to their higher regular-season point totals, either the Golden Knights or the Stars will have the privilege of hosting Games 1 and 2, as well as Games 5 and 7 if necessary. Meanwhile, the Panthers will host Games 3 and 4, along with Game 6 if it becomes necessary.

If the Golden Knights manage to win the Western Conference Final in five games, the opening game of the Stanley Cup Final will take place on Wednesday, May 31. However, if the Western Conference Final extends to six or seven games, Game 1 of the final series will be pushed back to Saturday, June 3.

All games in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final are set to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcasted on TNT and truTV in the United States. Some select games will also be available on TBS. In Canada, fans can catch every game of the final on Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports.

If the final commences on May 31, Media Day will be held on Tuesday, May 30 in Las Vegas. However, further information regarding Media Day and other media-related aspects will be provided once the start date is confirmed for either June 3 in Las Vegas or Dallas. The NHL will release a comprehensive schedule of media availabilities for Stanley Cup Final Media Day, as well as details about media hotel accommodations for the final, at a later time.

Florida Panthers Stage Dramatic Comeback to Sweep Carolina Hurricanes, Advance to NHL Stanley Cup Final

In a thrilling Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final, Matthew Tkachuk scored a power-play goal with just 4.9 seconds remaining to propel the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, completing a sweep of the series and securing their spot in the NHL Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996. Tkachuk's game-winning goal came after Hurricanes player Jesper Fast had tied the game at 3-3 with a late goal of his own.

The Panthers' win was made even more dramatic when the Situation Room initiated a review to determine if there was goaltender interference on Tkachuk's goal. After careful examination, the call on the ice stood, granting Florida the victory. Panthers coach Paul Maurice described the game as unusual and filled with tension, but he expressed his relief and excitement following the decisive goal.

Aleksander Barkov contributed two assists, while goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves to help secure the win for the Panthers. The team will now face the winner of the series between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars in the NHL Stanley Cup Final. Currently, Vegas leads the series 3-0, with Game 4 set to take place on Thursday.

For the Carolina Hurricanes, it was a disappointing end to their playoff run. Despite their efforts throughout the series, they were unable to secure a victory and suffered a sweep. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour acknowledged that the series could have gone the other way, emphasizing that his team was in the game until the very end.

The Florida Panthers' remarkable sweep of the Hurricanes sets the stage for an exciting NHL Stanley Cup Final, and the team and its fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming weeks, hoping for a memorable conclusion to their journey.