TAMPA — The Lightning don’t know yet which team they will face in the Eastern Conference Final, but they now know when the series will begin.
Tampa Bay will play Game 1 at Carolina or New York Wednesday at 8 p.m.
The Hurricanes lead their second-round series with the Rangers 3-2 heading into Game 6 Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
The Lightning will play Games 1 and 2 on the road Wednesday and Friday — both 8 p.m. starts — then host Games 3 and 4 at Amalie Arena on Sunday, June 5 (3 p.m.) and Tuesday, June 7 ( 8 p.m.).
If necessary, sites then alternate for Game 5 (Thursday, June 9 at Carolina or New York), Game 6 (Saturday, June 11 in Tampa) and Game 7 (Tuesday, June 14 at Carolina or New York). All would be 8 p.m. starts.
By the time the series begins, the Lightning will have had eight days off since sweeping the Panthers in their second-round series.
The Eastern Conference Final will be televised on ESPN.
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