The Vancouver Canucks have known for more than a week they would be starting their post-season journey towards a Stanley Cup at home as the third seed, but only found out this afternoon that they would face the Los Angeles Kings in the first round.
The playoff picture in the Western Conference finally became clear Sunday afternoon when the Kings edged the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 in overtime to move past the Nashville Predators into fifth place, but only for a short time as they were overtaken by the Detroit Red Wings who beat the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime.
The best-of-seven series will begin Thursday at GM Place.
The Canucks took the head-to-head season series against the Kings 3-1 and have won six of the last eight meetings between the two clubs. The Kings, though, took the most recent game 8-3 on April 1.
Since the Olympic break, the Canucks posted a record of 12-6-3 and are 3-1-1 in their last five, while the Kings went 9-7-5 and are 2-0-3 in their past five games.
Los Angeles last appeared in the NHL post-season in 2002 when they were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in game seven of the first round.
Other quarterfinal matchups have the top-seeded San Jose Sharks meeting the eighth-seeded Avalanche, the second-seeded Blackhawks will start at home against the seventh-seeded Predators and the fourth-seeded Phoenix Coyotes will battle the fifth-seeded Detroit Red Wings.
#3 Vancouver vs. #6 Los Angeles
Thursday, April 15, 2010 7 p.m. Los Angeles at Vancouver
Saturday, April 17, 2010 7 p.m. Los Angeles at Vancouver
Monday, April 19, 2010 7 p.m. Vancouver at Los Angeles
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 7 p.m. Vancouver at Los Angeles
*Friday, April 23, 2010 7 p.m. Los Angeles at Vancouver
*Sunday, April 25, 2010 TBD Vancouver at Los Angeles
*Tuesday, April 27, 2010 TBD Los Angeles at Vancouver
* if necessary
