The Second Round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs is where the pressure really ramps up, with teams gaining momentum from their First Round victories and smashing into their new opponents with increased vim and vigor. This is the stage of the Playoffs when players and fans start to turn the dream of an appearance in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals (and maybe even a date with the Stanley Cup?) into actual possibility in their minds, despite there being two best-of-seven series against incredibly tough opponents still to be overcome in the long road to the Finals. This is the time of the hockey season when emotions run high, beards grow long, and players dig deep to push through fatigue and injury to try to lead their teams into the history books. Losers of the Eastern Conference Second Round go home (or to the golf course), while the winners move on to the NHL Eastern Conference Finals for their shot at progressing to the NHL Stanley Cup Finals. Hockey fans from all over the world will be tuning in when the teams take to the ice in the Eastern Conference Second Round. And you can be there to witness the on-ice action in person!

How can I get the cheapest tickets to 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round games?

With a trip to the NHL Eastern Conference Finals on the line, NHL Eastern Conference Second Round games are among the most popular hockey games in the world each year. NHL Eastern Conference Second Round games generally sell out within seconds of their release, with fans desperate to be there to witness their team’s (often long-awaited!) shot at glory. With such high demand, and priority given to season ticket holders, tickets to NHL Eastern Conference Second Round games can be hard to find. For your best chance at scoring the cheapest tickets to NHL Eastern Conference Second Round games, trust TicketX! TicketX lists all NHL Eastern Conference Second Round tickets as they become available and our helpful seating chart is a great way to compare prices and seat locations. NHL Eastern Conference Second Round tickets can be all yours from TicketX with a single click, with the lowest commission fees around!

When will the 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round be taking place?

The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs generally start up right after the end of the NHL Regular Season, which ends this year on April 18, 2024. Because the First Round best of seven series that precede the Eastern Conference Second Round can obviously vary in length, the exact dates for the Eastern Conference Second Round will be set after the conclusion of the First Round. In general, the Eastern Conference Second Round usually takes place in mid-May. 

Be sure to check back on this TicketX page or our general 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs tickets page for updates to the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule (including the 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round) as they are announced, along with all available tickets. 

Where will the 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round be taking place?

The 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round will be shared between the four arenas of the four winners of the NHL Eastern Conference First Round. Because the Conference Second Round involves two best-of-seven series, the teams with the superior record (higher seed) during the 2023-2024 NHL Regular Season will host a maximum of 4 home games (if necessary), while the lower seeded teams will host a maximum of 3 home games (if necessary). All teams will host a minimum of 2 home games. Teams in the NHL‘s Eastern Conference come from (roughly) the eastern half of Canada and the United States, so the venues will obviously be located towards the eastern side of the continent. Note that out of the 32 teams in the NHL, 7 teams are from Canada while 25 teams are from the United States. 

Which NHL teams will be playing in the 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round? When will we know which teams will be playing in the 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round? 

Because the 16 NHL teams that qualify for the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are chosen based on their overall results over the 82 games of the 2023-2024 NHL Regular Season, the playoff picture can change right up until April 18, when the final games of the Regular Season are played, both in terms of qualification and seeding. Because the best 8 teams from each Conference (Eastern and Western) qualify for the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, some teams have already mathematically booked their place. Other teams are still in contention for one of the final spots (while some others are already heading for the beach or the golf course…). All Eastern Conference teams that qualify for the Playoffs have a chance of making it to the Eastern Conference Second Round!

NHL teams that could potentially play in the 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round

Eastern Conference

Already Qualified: New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers

Still in Contention: Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils

How do the NHL Eastern Conference Second Round work? What is the format of the NHL Eastern Conference Second Round?

As the second stage of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL Eastern Conference Second Round involves two best of seven series between the four winners of the NHL Eastern Conference First Round. As a team requires 4 victories to progress to the Conference Finals, each NHL Eastern Conference Second Round series lasts between 4 games (a sweep) and 7 games. There is nothing as intense as a Game Seven decider in the NHL Eastern Conference Second Round!

Also, unlike in the Regular Season where ties (draws) are decided with a 5-minute 3-on-3 overtime period followed by a shootout (if necessary), any NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs game that ends in a tie after three periods enters the dreaded (but so exciting!) world of sudden death overtime. This means that the game goes on until somebody ends it by scoring a goal. Usually this occurs within the first overtime period, but previous NHL Eastern Conference Second Round series have seen much longer sudden death overtime games (double overtime, triple, even more) upon occasion. 

Who will win the 2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round?

In the Eastern Conference, the teams to beat in 2024 seem to be the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, and Carolina Hurricanes, though the Florida Panthers may also have something to say about that. Torontonians (though no one else from Canada!) will be hoping that the Toronto Maple Leafs can surprise some teams and end the 31-year Stanley Cup Canadian team drought (and Leafs’ 57-years drought!). 

Who are the players to watch in the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs?

Obviously, every team that makes the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs will have exciting players to watch, but for a shortlist from around the league, here are a few to keep your eye on. For spectacular goals and crucial assists, look no further than top scorers like Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, Connor MacDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and David Pasternak of the Boston Bruins. For defensive stalwarts, Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks, Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, and Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers are all very hard to get past, as are top goalies Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers, Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins, and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers. That said, the Playoffs have a way of creating legends of unsung and unknown heroes too!

What is the Stanley Cup? What is the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

The Stanley Cup is one of the oldest, most iconic, and most beautiful trophies in all of professional sports. The Cup was donated by Lord Stanley, Governor General of Canada, in 1892 to be awarded to Canada’s annual ice hockey champions decided by a set of playoffs. Contested at first by amateur teams, the Stanley Cup Playoffs soon evolved into a professional competition that was essentially taken over fully by the NHL (including American teams) from 1926 onward. The Stanley Cup has the names of all of its winners engraved on its sides and is known for its many strange adventures over the years. Players also actually use it as a cup, drinking champagne from the top of it! To learn more about the Stanley Cup and its Playoffs, a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto is highly recommended.

Which teams have the best record in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs?

The Montreal Canadiens have won more Stanley Cups than any other team, with an astonishing 24 Cups to their name, with their Canadian archrivals the Toronto Maple Leafs on 13. With the Canadiens‘ last Cup coming in 1993, however, and the hapless Leafs most recent triumph coming way back in 1967, it has been a long time since either of these storied franchises have tasted silver. In fact, no team from Canada has won the Stanley Cup since the Canadiens in 1993, despite the Canucks, Flames, and Oilers all coming within a Game Seven of doing so. In recent decades, the increase in teams has inevitably led to the Stanley Cup being shared around a bit more, though the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, and the Tampa Bay Lightning have figured prominently. Last year, the Vegas Golden Knights, the newest team in the NHL, took the Finals by storm as they claimed the 2023 Stanley Cup. Who will add their name to the Cup in 2024? Get your tickets now from TicketX and find out!

Are NHL Eastern Conference Second Round games exciting?

The NHL Conference Second Round is where the Playoffs really start to get serious, with the world’s best players putting their pride and their bodies on the line for the chance to get one step closer to the Stanley Cup. The pressure is intense, with one round already won and momentum building, and the knowledge that a single error could tip the balance and send your team home for good. The atmosphere inside an NHL arena during the NHL Eastern Conference Second Round is incredible, with fans often all dressing in a certain color (as in Pittsburgh’s Whiteouts) or participating in certain traditions (Detroit’s throwing of octopuses) to spur on the home team. How can you too be there to experience all this fun and excitement? Get onto TicketX right now and buy your NHL Eastern Conference Second Round tickets before it’s too late!

2024 NHL Eastern Conference Second Round Schedule

We will post the full 2024 Eastern Conference Second Round schedule here as soon as it is announced.

Second Round

Eastern Conference

• Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins

  • Game 1 - May 6 @ Amerant Bank Arena

  • Game 2 - May 8  @ Amerant Bank Arena

  • Game 3 - May 10 @ TD Garden

  • Game 4 - May 12 @ TD Garden

  • Game 5 (if necessary) May 14 @ Amerant Bank Arena

  • Game 6 (if necessary) - May 17 @ TD Garden

  • Game 7 (if necessary) - May 19 @ Amerant Bank Arena

• New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes

  • Game 1 - May 5 @ Madison Square Garden

  • Game 2 - May 7 @ Madison Square Garden

  • Game 3 - May 9 @ PNC Arena

  • Game 4 - May 11 @ PNC Arena

  • Game 5 (if necessary) May 13 @ Madison Square Garden

  • Game 6 (if necessary) - May 16 @ PNC Arena

  • Game 7 (if necessary) - May 18 @ Madison Square Garden