NHL Playoff Central: Conference finals results
The NHL's conference finals were nothing but spectacular. That is, if you like Game 7's.
In the East, the Tampa Bay Lightning rebounded from a 7-3 loss in Game 6 to eliminate the New York Rangers with a shutout win on Friday night at the Garden.
Down 3-2 in the Western finals, the Chicago Blackhawks forced Game 7 against the Anaheim Ducks with a 5-2 victory earlier in the week. They took care of business on Saturday, closing out the West's top-ranked team with a 5-3 road win.
The Lightning, who finished second in the Atlantic Division, beat the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the opening round and the Atlantic Division champion Montreal Canadiens in six before winning the East.
Chicago, which finished third in the Central Division in the regular season, needed six games to get past the Nashville Predators in Round 1 before sweeping the Minnesota Wild in Round 2 and ousting the Ducks.
Check out complete results from the penultimate round of the Stanley Cup playoffs below.
Note: HOME TEAM in CAPS.
| EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL | ||
| Metropolitan 1 vs. Atlantic 2 |
 vs. 
|
Time (TV) / Series result |
| Game 1: Saturday, May 16 | RANGERS 2, Lightning 1 | Rangers lead 1-0 |
| Game 2: Monday, May 18 | Lightning 6, RANGERS 2 | Series tied 1-1 |
| Game 3: Wednesday, May 20 | LIGHTNING 6, Rangers 5 (OT) | Lightning lead 2-1 |
| Game 4: Friday, May 22 | Rangers 5, LIGHTNING 1 | Series tied 2-2 |
| Game 5: Sunday, May 24 | Lightning 2, RANGERS 0 | Lightning lead 3-2 |
| Game 6: Tuesday, May 26 | Rangers 7, LIGHTNING 3 | Series tied 3-3 |
| Game 7: Friday, May 29 | Lightning 2, RANGERS 0 | Lightning win series 4-3 |
| WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL | ||
| Pacific 1 vs. Central 3 |
 vs. 
|
Time (TV) / Series result |
| Game 1: Sunday, May 17 | DUCKS 4, Blackhawks 1 | Ducks lead 1-0 |
| Game 2: Tuesday, May 19 | Blackhawks 3, DUCKS 2 (3OT) | Series tied 1-1 |
| Game 3: Thursday, May 21 | Ducks 2, BLACKHAWKS 1 | Ducks lead 2-1 |
| Game 4: Saturday, May 23 | BLACKHAWKS 5, Ducks 4 (2OT) | Series tied 2-2 |
| Game 5: Monday, May 25 | DUCKS 5, Blackhawks 4 (OT) | Ducks lead 3-2 |
| Game 6: Wednesday, May 27 | BLACKHAWKS 5, Ducks 2 | Series tied 3-3 |
| Game 7: Saturday, May 30 | Blackhawks 5, DUCKS 3 | Blackhawks win series 4-3 |
