Our good friends at Sportsnet and the National Hockey League announced last evening – around midnight in fact – the schedule for the opening round of the playoffs. As a result, we know the when and where of the first round contest between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks

Schedule and broadcast info after the jump!

So it appears our suspicions based on building availabilities were about on the money. It’s a game every second day, no matter what, likely because of the really quick travel between cities.

The CBC/Sportsnet crew assigned to the game is Jim Hughson and Chris Simpson (with Scott Oake), so all you people who don’t like how Hughson calls Vancouver Canucks games, begin your belly-aching. I was hoping for Romanuk and Johnson, but they’re doing Montreal/Ottawa instead for some reason. Oh well.

In terms of our usual Sportsnet Flames crew: Kelly Hrudey is assigned panel work in Toronto, while Rick Ball is doing the Tampa Bay/Detroit series.

So prepare your excuses for work and loved ones – doctor’s appointments, piano recitals, whatever you want to use – because the insanity and exhilaration of playoff hockey begins in earnest on Wednesday night.

See you then.