Start times for Stanley Cup Playoff games on May 3 announced

NEW YORK -- The National Hockey League today announced the starting times and national broadcast information for Sunday’s 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the First Round Game 7 between Montreal and Tampa Bay, and the Second Round Game 1 between Minnesota and Colorado.

Sunday, May 3

• The start time for Game 7 of the First Round series between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning has been set for 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 3, in Tampa. The game will be televised on TNT, truTV and HBO MAX in the U.S. In Canada, the game will be on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports.

• The start time for Game 1 of the Second Round series between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche has been set for 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 3, in Denver. The game will be televised on TNT, truTV and HBO MAX in the U.S. In Canada, the game will be on Sportsnet, SN360, CBC and TVA Sports.

Notes on Sunday’s Games:

MONTREAL vs. TAMPA BAY

* This is the 22nd time in 24 postseasons that the first round has at least one Game 7 (2002 to 2026).

* This will be the first Game 7 between the Lightning and Canadiens.

* The Lightning own the highest winning percentage in Game 7s among franchises that have contested more than five in their history, taking a .700 mark into their 11th all-time Game 7 (7-3 in 10 GP). The Lightning are 4-1 in Game 7s at home, with an .800 winning percentage in that scenario ranking tied for third among clubs that have hosted at least three (NYR: .889; SJS: .833; EDM: .800).

* The Canadiens will contest their 25th all-time Game 7 (15-9 in 24 GP) and 14th on the road (7-6 in 13 GP). Montreal can tie Boston (16) for the most Game 7 wins in Stanley Cup Playoffs history and extend their own benchmark for Game 7 road victories.

For more information, please see #NHLStats Pack: Lightning Evade Elimination in Overtime to Force 7 vs. Canadiens

MINNESOTA vs. COLORADO

* Nathan MacKinnon made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut in the last playoff series between the Avalanche and Wild (2014 R1). MacKinnon (18 years, 237 days in Game 5) became the youngest player during the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) with a postseason overtime goal and second youngest in League history behind Don Gallinger (17 years, 339 days in Game 1 of 1943 SF).

* Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes rank first and second, respectively, in scoring among defensemen since their first full season during the 2019-20 campaign and account for three of the last four James Norris Memorial Trophy wins (Makar: 2024-25 & 2021-22; Hughes: 2023-24).

* Brent Burns was selected by the Wild with the No. 20 pick in the 2003 NHL Draft and played each of his first seven seasons with Minnesota from 2003-04 to 2010-11. Burns is set to become the fourth player in League history to play a playoff series against his NHL Draft team at age 40 or older, following Jaromir Jagr (2013 CF & 2012 CQF vs. PIT), Igor Larionov (2002 CQF vs. VAN) and Larry Murphy (2001 CQF vs. LAK).

* The 2026 Second Round series between the Avalanche and Wild is set to mark the eighth in NHL history to feature at least seven players from that season’s Olympic gold medal game. The others involved the Blackhawks and Blues (10 in 2014 R1), Blackhawks and Sharks (9 in 2010 CF), Blues and Red Wings (9 in 2002 CSF), Blackhawks and Kings (8 in 2014 CF), Avalanche and Red Wings (8 in 2002 CF), Blackhawks and Blues (7 in 2002 CQF) as well as the Canadiens and Penguins (7 in 1998 CQF).

The complete schedule for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs can be accessed here.