The National Hockey League on Wednesday announced the schedule for the first four games for both of the Stanley Cup Playoff Western Conference Semifinals.

The series between the third-seeded Phoenix Coyotes and fourth-seeded Nashville Predators will begin on Friday, April 27th at 9pm ET (NBCSN, TSN), and will continue with Game 2 on Sunday, April 29th, both games being played in Phoenix. Game 3, in Nashville, is scheduled for Wednesday, May 2nd and Game 4 will be Friday, May 4th, also in Nashville.

The series featuring the second-seeded St. Louis Blues and No. 8 Los Angeles Kings will begin on Saturday, April 28th, in St. Louis. Game 2 will be Monday, April 30th, also in St. Louis. Games 3 and 4 will be played in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 3rd and Sunday, May 6th, respectively.

The complete Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals schedule, including start times and television information, will be released upon conclusion of the Conference Quarterfinal round Thursday night. On that night, the top-seeded New York Rangers will face the No. 8 Ottawa Senators in a Game 7 contest and the No. 3 Florida Panthers will host the sixth-seeded New Jersey Devils in another Game 7, wrapping up the opening round of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.