NHL releases Stanley Cup playoff schedule for Ducks, Kings

The Ducks open their first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars with Game 1 at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Honda Center, and the Kings open the postseason against the Sharks at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in San Jose.

Unlike in last year’s playoffs, there are no situations in which the Kings and Ducks play on the same day.

This is the third time the Ducks and Stars will have met in the playoffs, and the first since 2008. Game 2 will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Honda Center before the series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on April 21 and Game 4 on April 23.

The Kings and Sharks faced off in the playoffs last year, with the Kings winning their second-round series in seven games.

There will be two days off for the Kings and Sharks between Games 1 and 2, and it is expected that the Kings will return home to practice in El Segundo in the interim. Game 2 will be at SAP Center on Easter Sunday at 7 p.m. Game 3 is at 7 p.m. April 22 at Staples Center and Game 4 will be at 7:30 p.m. April 24 at Staples.

The Ducks-Stars series will be shown by NBC Sports Network for the first three games, CNBC for Game 4 and NBC Sports Network for Game 5 on April 25 at Anaheim, if necessary. The Canadian network TSN is scheduled to show the entire Ducks-Stars series.

The Kings-Sharks series will be on NBC Sports Network for Games 1-4 as well as Game 5 at San Jose on April 26, if necessary. The Canadian network CBC will broadcast the entire series.