TAMPA, Fla. — The Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 NHL Playoffs is set.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, who are returning to this stage of the playoffs for a third consecutive season, will play against the New York Rangers.
New York defeated Carolina 6-2 in Game 7 to win the series on Monday night at PNC Arena.
The Rangers finished the regular season in second place of the Metropolitan division and defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes in the postseason to reach the Eastern Conference Final.
The last time the Bolts defeated the Rangers in an Eastern Conference Final was in 2015 and won the series in seven games.
New York has changed since then and defeated the Lightning twice in the regular season, home and away, and both teams will be expecting tough games as they try to reach the Stanley Cup Final.
However, the Lightning is approaching the last round before the Stanley Cup Championship in top form as they have won their last 10 playoff series dating back to the first round of the 2020 NHL Playoffs.
The Bolts have advanced from the Eastern Conference Final twice in the last two seasons, and the team will be looking to remain on the hunt to claim another Stanley Cup in three consecutive years.
Puck drop for Game 1 is scheduled at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The first game in the series held at Amalie Arena is scheduled at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 5.
Here's a look at the full Eastern Conference Final schedule:
Game 1: 8 p.m. ET, June 1 on ESPN at Madison Square Garden
Game 2: 8 p.m. ET, June 3 on ESPN at Madison Square Garden
Game 3: 3 p.m. ET, June 5 on ESPN at Amalie Arena
Game 4: 8 p.m. ET, June 7 on ESPN at Amalie Arena
Game 5: 8 p.m. ET, June 9 at Madison Square Garden
Game 6: 8 p.m. ET, June 11 at Amalie Arena (NetworkTBD)
Game 7: 8 p.m. ET, June 14 at Madison Square Garden (Network TBD)