Sun Apr 13, 2014 9:22pm EDT
<span id="articleText"/> (Reuters) - The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs were set on Sunday after Colorado clinched the West's Central Division and Tampa Bay tied up second spot in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic with a win over Washington.
<span id="midArticle_0"/> The postseason gets underway on Wednesday with the Lightning hosting Montreal, Columbus traveling to face Pittsburgh and Anaheim hosting Dallas.
<span id="midArticle_1"/> The Avalanche entered the day tied with St. Louis on 111 points but clinched the division when the slumping Blues suffered a sixth straight defeat, falling 3-0 to the Detroit Red Wings. The Avs face wildcards Minnesota in the first round.
<span id="midArticle_2"/> In the East, the Lightning secured second place in the Atlantic Division and home ice advantage in their first round series against the Canadiens with a 1-0 shootout win over the Capitals on Sunday, the last day of the regular season.
<span id="midArticle_3"/> Other first round matchups will see the top seeded Boston Bruins, winners of the Presidents' Trophy for finishing with the best regular season record (54-19-9), take on the wildcard Red Wings, who reached the postseason for the 23rd consecutive year.
<span id="midArticle_4"/> The Bruins and Red Wings, two of the NHL's Original Six franchises, clash in the playoffs for the first time since 1957.
<span id="midArticle_5"/> Metropolitan Division champions Pittsburgh face the East's other wildcards Columbus, who head to the postseason for just the second time.
<span id="midArticle_6"/> The other East matchup will see bitter rivals New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers renew hostilities.
<span id="midArticle_7"/> The Anaheim Ducks assured themselves of the top seed in the Western Conference on Saturday with a 4-3 shootout win over the Los Angeles Kings and open the postseason against the Stars, winners of the second wildcard.
<span id="midArticle_8"/> Also in the West, Stanley Cup champions Chicago open the defense of their crown against the Blues and San Jose Sharks go up against California rivals LA Kings.
<span id="midArticle_9"/> EASTERN CONFERENCE
<span id="midArticle_10"/> Boston Bruins v Detroit Red Wings
<span id="midArticle_11"/> April 18 - Detroit at Boston (Game 1)
<span id="midArticle_12"/> April 20 - Detroit at Boston (Game 2)
<span id="midArticle_13"/> April 22 - Boston at Detroit (Game 3)
<span id="midArticle_14"/> April 24 - Boston at Detroit (Game 4)
<span id="midArticle_15"/> April 26 - Detroit at Boston (Game 5 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_0"/> April 28 - Boston at Detroit (Game 6 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_1"/> April 30 - Detroit at Boston (Game 7 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_2"/> Tampa Bay Lightning v Montreal Canadiens
<span id="midArticle_3"/> April 16 - Montreal at Tampa Bay (Game 1)
<span id="midArticle_4"/> April 18 - Montreal at Tampa Bay (Game 2)
<span id="midArticle_5"/> April 20 - Tampa Bay at Montreal (Game 3)
<span id="midArticle_6"/> April 22 - Tampa Bay at Montreal (Game 4)
<span id="midArticle_7"/> April 24 - Montreal at Tampa Bay (Game 5 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_8"/> April 27 - Tampa Bay at Montreal (Game 6 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_9"/> April 29 - Montreal at Tampa Bay (Game 7 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_10"/> Pittsburgh Penguins v Columbus Blue Jackets
<span id="midArticle_11"/> April 16 - Columbus at Pittsburgh (Game 1)
<span id="midArticle_12"/> April 19 - Columbus at Pittsburgh (Game 2)
<span id="midArticle_13"/> April 21 - Pittsburgh at Columbus (Game 3)
<span id="midArticle_14"/> April 23 - Pittsburgh at Columbus (Game 4)
<span id="midArticle_15"/> April 26 - Columbus at Pittsburgh (Game 5 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_0"/> April 28 - Pittsburgh at Columbus (Game 6 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_1"/> April 30 - Columbus at Pittsburgh (Game 7 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_2"/> New York Rangers v Philadelphia Flyers
<span id="midArticle_3"/> April 17 - Philadelphia at New York (Game 1)
<span id="midArticle_4"/> April 20 - Philadelphia at New York (Game 2)
<span id="midArticle_5"/> April 22 - New York at Philadelphia (Game 3)
<span id="midArticle_6"/> April 25 - New York at Philadelphia (Game 4)
<span id="midArticle_7"/> April 27 - Philadelphia at New York (Game 5 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_8"/> April 29 - New York at Philadelphia (Game 6 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_9"/> April 30 - Philadelphia at New York (Game 7 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_10"/> WESTERN CONFERENCE
<span id="midArticle_11"/> Colorado Avalanche v Minnesota Wild
<span id="midArticle_12"/> April 17 - Minnesota at Colorado (Game 1)
<span id="midArticle_13"/> April 19 - Minnesota at Colorado (Game 2)
<span id="midArticle_14"/> April 21 - Colorado at Minnesota (Game 3)
<span id="midArticle_15"/> April 24 - Colorado at Minnesota (Game 4)
<span id="midArticle_0"/> April 26 - Minnesota at Colorado (Game 5 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_1"/> April 28 - Colorado at Minnesota (Game 6 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_2"/> April 30 - Minnesota at Colorado (Game 7 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_3"/> St. Louis Blues v Chicago Blackhawks
<span id="midArticle_4"/> April 17 - Chicago at St. Louis (Game 1)
<span id="midArticle_5"/> April 19 - Chicago at St. Louis (Game 2)
<span id="midArticle_6"/> April 21 - St. Louis at Chicago (Game 3)
<span id="midArticle_7"/> April 23 - St. Louis at Chicago (Game 4)
<span id="midArticle_8"/> April 25 - Chicago at St. Louis (Game 5 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_9"/> April 27 - St. Louis at Chicago (Game 6 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_10"/> April 29 - Chicago at St. Louis (Game 7 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_11"/> Anaheim Ducks v Dallas Stars
<span id="midArticle_12"/> April 16 - Dallas at Anaheim (Game 1)
<span id="midArticle_13"/> April 18 - Dallas at Anaheim (Game 2)
<span id="midArticle_14"/> April 21 - Anaheim at Dallas (Game 3)
<span id="midArticle_15"/> April 23 - Anaheim at Dallas (Game 4)
<span id="midArticle_0"/> April 25 - Dallas at Anaheim (Game 5 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_1"/> April 27 - Anaheim at Dallas (Game 6 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_2"/> April 29 - Dallas at Anaheim (Game 7 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_3"/> San Jose Sharks v Los Angeles Kings
<span id="midArticle_4"/> April 17 - Los Angeles at San Jose (Game 1)
<span id="midArticle_5"/> April 20 - Los Angeles at San Jose (Game 2)
<span id="midArticle_6"/> April 22 - San Jose at Los Angeles (Game 3)
<span id="midArticle_7"/> April 24 - San Jose at Los Angeles (Game 4)
<span id="midArticle_8"/> April 26 - Los Angeles at San Jose (Game 5 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_9"/> April 28 - San Jose at Los Angeles (Game 6 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_10"/> April 30 - Los Angeles at San Jose (Game 7 if necessary)
<span id="midArticle_11"/> (Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Peter Rutherford)
<span id="midArticle_12"/>
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