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The 2012 playoffs and championship games pit major teams battling for top spots in the ultimate quest for the Holy Grail of hockey, the Stanley Cup.

This year's NHL hockey schedule runs from October 6, 2011 through April 7, 2012, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning sometime in mid-April.

As the season nears its close in 2012, watch for Stanley Cup tickets to go on sale in late March.

As always, season-ticket holders have a better shot at securing seats nearer the glass while the rest of us will be lucky enough to get the nosebleeds.

Next best bet? Sticking close to the living room TV, or at the local pub offering an extra wide flatscreen.

In the U.S., all the Stanley Cup playoffs action will be televised on cable channel Versus. As the contest heats up, network television NBC will be included in the primetime television broadcast mix, right up to the final game of the championship.

2011 Stanley Cup recap

It was a battle royal between the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks as an international rivalry shaped up between America — and every British Commonwealth country (including hockey fans in the UK) who feverishly followed the Canucks throughout the playoffs.

After six games of world class hockey -- featuring three low-scoring contests in Vancouver and three over-the-top high-scorers in Boston -- the 2011 Stanley Cup finally came down to Game 7 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on June 15.

Both teams could taste victory going into the final. While Boston hadn't won a championship since 1972, Vancouver had never taken the cup since they entered the league in 1970.

The winner? Although excitement was at fever pitch, Boston provided an anti-climax of sorts as they waltzed through the final with a great defensive and a 4-0 victory on the Canucks' home turf --- as Canadian fans were left to declare "...wait til next year!"

More about the Stanley Cup around the Web:

Around the Web, gather around for hockey party ideas and Stanley Cup celebrations, the complete TV schedule for the U.S. and Canada plus tickets information, and the latest scores and updates as the Stanley Cup battle closes out another exciting NHL hockey season ...

Stanley Cup Playoffs - Official NBC Sports coverage with the complete TV schedule, feature stories, analysis and interviews, pictures & slideshows, game recaps and the latest scores & standings.

Versus - NHL - Video highlights, updated playoff bracket, plus check out Photo of the Day, and major coverage in feature stories and expert analysis.

NHL on Yahoo! - Stanley Cup Playoffs - Extensive coverage including the latest scores, standings, live odds, injury reports, photo galleries & video clips.

NHL.com - One-stop browsing for Stanley Cup news, ticket information, game previews, latest scores, video clips, pictures & extensive Stanley Cup history, notable moments and interviews.

Stanley Cup - Encyclopedic knowledge on its history, current & past controversies, a complete rundown on last season, noted Stanley Cup playoff games, pictures & related links, from Wikipedia.

Mad About Hockey - Stanley Cup - Illustrated history & fun facts, plus tool around the rest of the site for lots more insider info and hockey greats trivia.

Hockey Hall of Fame - Legendary players, thousands of photos, Stanley Cup celebrations, history and trivia plus exhibit, tour and contact information.

also see -> Ice Hockey | Field Hockey

Olympic Ice Hockey