A first-round, seven-game matchup between the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins will kick off the play-offs of the North American Ice Hockey League (NHL) on Saturday, the championship of which has been reshaped due to the coronavirus epidemic.
The teams were divided into four new divisions, East, Central, West and North, the latter grouping together Canadian clubs. After 56 matches, the top four in each division advance to the play-offs, with the top-ranked team meeting the fourth, while the second and third meet.
The posters are therefore known: in the East Division, in addition to Washington (2nd) – Boston (3rd), Pittsburgh (1st) will face the New York Islanders (4th).
In Centrale, Carolina (1st) will challenge Nashville (4th) while defending champion Tampa Bay (3rd) will face Florida (2nd).
In the West Division, Las Vegas (1st), best team of the regular season, will face Saint-Louis (4th), champion in 2019, and Colorado (2nd) will play against Minnesota (3rd).
The North Division will pit Toronto (1st), in search of a first title since 1967, in Montreal (4th), and Edmonton (2nd) in Winnipeg (3rd).
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