Maple Leafs left wing Scott Laughton, right, and Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig fight during the second period in Toronto on March 15. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP File)

By The Associated Press

The Stanley Cup playoff s are here, the bracket is set and with the first series begin Saturday, April 19.

The regular season saw the stirring chase by Washington’s Alex Ovechkin to break Wayne Gretzky’s NHL scoring record, a mark that stood for 31 years and many thought would never be broken. The Capitals were also one of the best teams in the league, vying with Vegas and Dallas for the Presidents’ Trophy that was ultimately won by the Winnipeg Jets — one of five Canadian teams in the postseason.

All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-7 and the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup. It’s a grind that won’t end until June.

First-round matchups

Russia's Alexander Ovechkin, reported to be the No. 1 pick in next month's NHL draft, answers reporters questions before the start of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs in Tampa, Fla., on May 27, 2004. (AP file photo)

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Eastern Conference:

Toronto vs. Ottawa. Toronto won the Atlantic Division for the first time and gets to play Ottawa in a battle of Ontario. The Senators will be counting on good defense and goaltending against Auston Matthews and Co.

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Tampa Bay vs. Florida. Defending champion Florida faces Tampa Bay in a hotly anticipated showdown between two teams that made big trades at the deadline. The Panthers hope to get injured forward Matthew Tkachuk back for the opener and two suspended players, defenseman Aaron Ekblad and forward Jesse Puljujarvi, for Game 3 at home.

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Washington vs. Montreal. The Capitals were the best team in the East and open against Montreal, which was the last team to qualify by winning its final game.

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Carolina vs. New Jersey. The hard-working Hurricanes will face a New Jersey team without injured top center Jack Hughes in the other Metropolitan Division series.

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Western Conference:

Winnipeg vs. St. Louis. The Jets finished atop the league and will have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. They open against St. Louis, the second wild card but also the hottest team down the stretch with 12 home wins in a row.

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Dallas vs. Colorado. Two juggernauts meet in the other half of the Central Division bracket in the toughest first-round showdown. Both team are among the top three favorites to win the Cup and one will be done in the first round. The other advances to face the Winnipeg/St. Louis winner.

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Vegas vs. Minnesota. The Golden Knights were quietly one of the best teams in the league all season and only two years removed from winning the Cup. The wild-card Wild are hoping for an upset.

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How to watch

Every game of the Stanley Cup playoffs will be nationally televised in the U.S on an ABC/ESPN or Turner network. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.

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Who to watch

After all eyes were on Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky’s record, the attention turns to the stars who put forth compelling efforts during the season and many who have disappointed in previous playoffs.

Reigning MVP Nathan MacKinnon is looking to help Colorado win the Cup for the second time in four years, and he expected to be joined by returning captain Gabriel Landeskog, who has not played since 2022.

Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck is a near-lock to win the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goaltender for a second year in a row, and now he has the chance to prove critics wrong after back-to-back postseasons with a sub-.900 save percentage.

The Toronto Maple Leafs — who have not won it all since 1967 — have plenty of players hoping to change the narrative around them in the playoffs, from Matthews to pending free agent Mitch Marner.

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Who are the Stanley Cup favorites?

On the eve of the openers, the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup are (in order): Dallas and Florida (tied), Colorado, Carolina, Edmonton and Vegas (tied) and Washington, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

When is the Stanley Cup Final?

The playoffs begin April 19 to open three rounds of seven-game series in the East and West before the final starts in early June. If the final goes the distance, Game 7 could be as late as June 23.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl