Blackhawks, Ducks to play Game 1 on Sunday, per report

The opening game of the 2015 Western Conference Finals between the Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks is set for Sunday afternoon, reports Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. Other reporters are also sharing the information, making it seem like a sure thing that you should free up that day.

The Hawks have been resting for the past few days after eliminating the Minnesota Wild last week, then learned Monday that they would face the Ducks in the next round. Anaheim topped the Calgary Flames to advance to the West Finals, setting up an exciting matchup between two of hockey's best teams.

A weekend start for the series was expected based on how the schedule was stacking up, but this is as close to an official confirmation as we can get regarding Game 1. I don't anyone will complain about a nice Sunday afternoon of hockey, either, considering all the late nights that could be in store on the West Coast.

The matchup for the Eastern Conference Finals will also be set Wednesday as the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers meet for Game 7 of their series. The winner will face the Tampa Bay Lightning, who topped the Montreal Canadiens to advance.