The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs ran from April 18 through June 14, and the Carolina Hurricanes won the championship. Carolina defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in the Stanley Cup Final, closing the postseason with a 3-0 victory in Game 6.

This page is a completed-results archive, last fact-checked July 27, 2026. It summarizes how every series moved through the bracket without presenting old games as upcoming events. For current dates and matchups, use the current NHL schedule.

2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at a Glance

Playoffs began Saturday, April 18, 2026
Stanley Cup Final began Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Championship clinched Sunday, June 14, 2026
Champion Carolina Hurricanes
Runner-up Vegas Golden Knights
Final series Carolina won 4-2

The NHL announced that the opening round would begin with three games on April 18. Sixteen teams entered the fixed, division-based bracket, and every round was best of seven. By June 14, Carolina had completed a 16-3 postseason and captured its first Stanley Cup since 2006.

Completed 2026 NHL Playoff Bracket by Round

The tables below show series winners rather than every individual game. That makes the bracket path easier to scan while the NHL’s official pages retain the detailed game-by-game record.

First Round results

Conference Matchup Series result
East Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Buffalo won 4-2
East Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens Montreal won 4-3
East Carolina Hurricanes vs. Ottawa Senators Carolina won 4-0
East Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia won 4-2
West Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings Colorado won 4-0
West Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Minnesota won 4-2
West Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Vegas won 4-2
West Edmonton Oilers vs. Anaheim Ducks Anaheim won 4-2

Two first-round series ended in sweeps: Carolina eliminated Ottawa and Colorado eliminated Los Angeles. Montreal and Tampa Bay produced the only Game 7 of the round, with the Canadiens winning 2-1. The official NHL First Round results contain each game score.

Ice hockey players crowd the goal during a game
Each bracket lane advanced one series winner at a time. Photo by Rick Dikeman, CC BY-SA 3.0; cropped and converted to WebP.

Second Round results

Conference Matchup Series result
East Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens Montreal won 4-3
East Carolina Hurricanes vs. Philadelphia Flyers Carolina won 4-0
West Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild Colorado won 4-1
West Vegas Golden Knights vs. Anaheim Ducks Vegas won 4-2

Montreal needed overtime in Game 7 to eliminate Buffalo 3-2. Carolina recorded another sweep, this time against Philadelphia, while Colorado and Vegas emerged from the Western Conference bracket lanes. The complete series scores are preserved on the NHL Second Round results page.

Conference Finals results

Conference Final Series result
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montreal Canadiens Carolina won 4-1
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche Vegas won 4-0

Montreal won the Eastern Conference Final opener 6-2, but Carolina responded with four straight victories. Vegas swept Colorado in the West, allowing the Golden Knights to reach the Final without playing beyond Game 6 in any of their first three series.

2026 Stanley Cup Final Schedule and Results

Carolina owned the better regular-season point total, so it hosted Games 1 and 2 and would have hosted Games 5 and 7 if needed. Vegas hosted Games 3, 4 and 6. All six games started at 8 p.m. ET, according to the NHL’s Final schedule announcement.

Date Game Result Series after game
June 2 Game 1 at Carolina Vegas 5, Carolina 4 Vegas led 1-0
June 4 Game 2 at Carolina Carolina 4, Vegas 3 (OT) Tied 1-1
June 6 Game 3 at Vegas Vegas 5, Carolina 4 (2OT) Vegas led 2-1
June 9 Game 4 at Vegas Carolina 5, Vegas 3 Tied 2-2
June 11 Game 5 at Carolina Carolina 4, Vegas 2 Carolina led 3-2
June 14 Game 6 at Vegas Carolina 3, Vegas 0 Carolina won 4-2

Vegas won two of the first three games, including a double-overtime Game 3, before Carolina changed the series. The Hurricanes won Games 4, 5 and 6 in succession and allowed only five total goals during that closing streak. Their shutout in Game 6 secured the championship.

How Carolina Reached the Stanley Cup

Carolina’s route was unusually efficient. The Hurricanes swept Ottawa in the First Round, swept Philadelphia in the Second Round, beat Montreal in five games and defeated Vegas in six. That added up to a 16-3 playoff record.

Round Opponent Carolina result
First Round Ottawa Senators Won 4-0
Second Round Philadelphia Flyers Won 4-0
Eastern Conference Final Montreal Canadiens Won 4-1
Stanley Cup Final Vegas Golden Knights Won 4-2

The NHL reported that 19 games were the fewest needed to win the Cup since the 1988 Edmonton Oilers completed a 16-2 run. Carolina’s title was the franchise’s first since 2006.

Use Current Schedule Pages for New Games

The 2026 bracket is now historical. It should not be used to find tonight’s matchup or a future playoff date. For changing information, check NHL games today or the NHL games this week.

You can also save dates through the NHL calendar or use the printable schedule. Those resources are designed for current planning; this article preserves the final 2026 playoff path.

2026 NHL Playoffs FAQ

Who won the 2026 Stanley Cup?

The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2026 Stanley Cup. They defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in the Final and won Game 6 by a 3-0 score.

When did the 2026 NHL playoffs start and end?

The First Round began on April 18, 2026. Carolina clinched the Stanley Cup on June 14, ending the postseason in Game 6 of the Final.

Is the 2026 NHL playoff bracket complete?

Yes. All four rounds and every series result are final. This page records the completed bracket rather than displaying live scores.

How many games did the 2026 Stanley Cup Final last?

The Final lasted six games. Vegas led the series 2-1, then Carolina won three consecutive games to take the championship 4-2.