What to watch in the NHL playoffs as the Stanley Cup Final arrives

Two teams are left standing as the NHL playoffs have reached the Stanley Cup Final.

After the first round — and even the second — was full of newcomers who hadn't played postseason hockey in a long time, the conference finals featured some of the usual suspects.

The Vegas Golden Knights swept Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado in the West final, and the Carolina Hurricanes got past Montreal in five games. They'll meet in a final matchup of the two hottest teams in hockey over the past two months.

There will be a new champion and no three-peat after the Florida Panthers were derailed by injuries following three consecutive trips to the final. In fact, both finalists are new after Edmonton got knocked out by Anaheim.

WESTERN CONFERENCE: Vegas got through Utah and Anaheim in six, then won four in a row against the Avalanche.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:Carolina swept Ottawa and Philadelphia, then responded from a Game 1 loss to the Canadiens to advance to the final for the first time since 2006.

The top three teams in each of the four divisions make the playoffs. The other four spots go to the next two highest-placed teams in each conference, regardless of division. All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-seven; the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup.

— Carolina vs. Vegas vs., Game 1 Tuesday night.

Carolina is a slight favorite at just over even money.

Every playoff game will be nationally televised in the U.S on an ESPN or Turner network. The NHL schedule is here and a streaming guide is here. Much of TNT’s coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.

After three rounds of best-of-seven series, the final starts Tuesday night. If it goes the distance, Game 7 could go as late as June 20.

WEST: No-nonsense John Tortorella took over coaching the Vegas Golden Knights in late March, and they've been rolling since. Mitch Marner, who was maligned for a lack of playoff success during his time in Toronto, has been arguably the best player in the postseason.

EAST: The Carolina Hurricanes have rolled through the East, getting dominant goaltending from 36-year-old Frederik Andersen and do-it-all play from 2018 league MVP Taylor Hall. After so many disappointing playoff exits, they are hoping to win the franchise's second championship and first since 2006.

Canada's Stanley Cup drought will extend one more year. No team north of the border has won it since Montreal in 1993.

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

Carolina Hurricanes' Taylor Hall celebrates after his goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27), defenseman Rasmus Andersson (4) and goaltender Carter Hart (79) celebrate after winning Game 4 of the Western Conference finals NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Hurricanes' Logan Stankoven (22) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley, middle, celebrate after winning Game 4 of the Western Conference finals NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

SEATTLE (AP) — Randy Arozarena hit a walk-off double, J.P. Crawford homered twice — the first multi-home run game of his career —and the Seattle Mariners beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 in 10 innings on Friday night for their fourth straight win.

After Seattle reliever Cooper Criswell (2-1) threw a scoreless 10th inning, Arozarena went to the opposite field on a slider by Diamondbacks righty Juan Morillo with two runners aboard.

The Mariners (29-29) are .500 for the first time since April 29, when they were 16-16 after a 5-3 win against the Minnesota Twins.

Crawford hit 74 home runs in 978 major league appearances prior to Friday, but never twice in one game before depositing a pair of offerings from Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen into the seats at T-Mobile Park.

The veteran shortstop led off the first inning with a solo shot off the Arizona right-hander, then added a two-run homer in the fifth inning for his ninth of the season, the latter of which gave Seattle a 5-1 lead.

The Diamondbacks responded with four runs in the top of the sixth, three of them charged to Mariners starter George Kirby (6-4), to tie the game. Arizona evened the score on an RBI single by Jose Fernandez.

Seattle responded in the bottom of the sixth, as Luke Raley hit his team-leading 12th home run of the season, but Arizona forced extra innings with an RBI fielder’s choice by Ildemaro Vargas in the ninth inning. That set the stage for Arozarena’s heroics.

Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (4-3, 3.82 starts Saturday night opposite Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (2-3, 4.65)

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 29, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Caean Couto)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 29, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Caean Couto)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez hits a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, May 29, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Caean Couto)

Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford hits a one-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 29, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Caean Couto)

Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford gestures as he rounds the bases after hitting a one-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 29, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Caean Couto)