Detroit defenceman Brad Stuart, left, and Anaheim forward Ryan Getzlaf battle during a regular season game. (Christian Peterson/Getty Images)Hockey Night in Canada will carry the opening game of the Western Conference semifinal series between the two most recent Stanley Cup champions, the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks.
Detroit hosts Anaheim to begin the best-of-seven series on HNIC at 7 p.m. ET Friday.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings will resume play after an eight-day layoff, the result of a four-game sweep of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Anaheim finished an upset of top Western seed the San Jose Sharks in six games on Monday night.
Several players from both clubs remain from a 2007 conference semifinal series, won by Anaheim over Detroit in six games. The Ducks would go on to win the Stanley Cup that spring.
The puck drops on the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs Thursday night when the Vancouver Canucks host the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Coverage on CBC Television and CBCSports.ca begins at 8:30 p.m. ET with a special edition of Scotiabank Hockey Tonight.
CBC will also begin coverage of the much-anticipated showdown of Alex Ovechkin's Washington Capitals against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 1 p.m. ET).
Fans across the country can follow the second-round action on Stanley Cup Interactive on CBCSports.ca. Hall of Fame journalist Scott Morrison and Hockey Night in Canada Radio on SIRIUS host Jeff Marek will participate in live chats from the Stanley Cup I-Desk during all games broadcast on Hockey Night in Canada.
Additionally, iPhone users can visit cbcsports.ca/iphone/stanleycup2009 to be kept up to date on all the playoff series with stats, scores and top stories.
HNIC Radio on SIRIUS will continue with comprehensive coverage of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs on SIRIUS Satellite Radio's Channel 122, Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. ET (encore presentation from 7 to 10 p.m. ET). Host Marek will be joined by HNIC personalities and other guests.