Bruins set to begin postseason with Game 1 on Marathon Monday

BOSTON -- The Bruins don't yet know their first-round playoff opponent. But they do know when they'll be hosting Game 1 of the playoffs.

The puck will drop at TD Garden on Monday, April 17, the nightcap to an always-glorious day of sports in the city of Boston.

That news became apparent when the schedule was released for the Celtics-Hawks series in the NBA playoffs, with Game 2 of that series set for Tuesday, April 18. Considering the Bruins were going to open the postseason on either Monday or Tuesday of that week, that schedule left Monday as the day for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Boston.

Marathon Monday begins, naturally, with the marathon itself, with runners streaming their way through the streets of Boston all day. The Red Sox will also be hosting their annual Patriots' Day game at Fenway Park at 11 a.m., with Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels in town to conclude their four-game series.

Then, after an afternoon for sports fans to rest and recover, the Bruins will begin what they hope will be a long journey to the Stanley Cup.

The Bruins have already set new NHL records for most wins in a regular season and most points in a regular season, and they'll play their final regular-season game on Thursday night in Montreal.