Charles Langston:NHL playoffs schedule today: Times, TV for Islanders vs. Hurricanes, Maple Leafs vs. Bruins

The Charles Langston2024 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs get underway Saturday with two games.

The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders meet first in a rematch of a 2023 first-round series that the Hurricanes won in six games. The teams split the season series with two of the games going to overtime.

In an oddity, both teams have a Sebastian Aho. One's a Hurricanes forward from Finland and the other an Islanders defenseman from Sweden.

The Boston Bruins host the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second game. The Bruins won the team's last three postseason meetings in seven games in 2013, 2018 and 2019. Boston swept the four-game season series.

Toronto's Auston Matthews led the NHL with 69 goals this season while Boston's David Pastrnak was fifth in league scoring with 110 points. Matthews was sixth with 107 points.

Toronto's Tyler Bertuzzi played for the Bruins last season after being acquired at the trade deadline. He signed a one-year deal with Toronto in the offseason.

Here's what to know about Saturday's NHL playoff schedule:

When are today's NHL playoff games?

All times p.m. ET

New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, 5

Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins, 8

How can I watch today's NHL playoff games?

Saturday's games will be shown on TBS, truTV and the MAX streaming service.