NHL Playoffs 2022: How to Watch, Livestream the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
- YouTube TV: $65
Carries ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, TNT, TBS
See at YouTube - Sling TV Orange: $35
Carries ESPN, TNT
See at Sling TV - DirecTV Stream: $70
Carries ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, TBS, and TNT
See at DirecTV Stream - Hulu Plus Live TV: $70
Carries ESPN, ABC and TNT
See at Hulu - FuboTV: $70
Carries ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC
See at FuboTV
Eight teams from each conference have fought for 82 games to make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs. It takes 16 total wins for a team to hoist the Cup and some teams will have the chance to grab their first win tonight as the first round continues.?
In the Eastern Conference, the Metropolitan Division champions Carolina Hurricanes are hosting the Boston Bruins. The New York Rangers finished second in the Metro and are facing off against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who finished right behind them in third. The Florida Panthers captured the best record in the NHL, as well as the Eastern Conference, and are playing Alexander Ovechkin and the eighth-seed Washington Capitals.?
Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche grabbed the top seed in the West are playing the Nashville Predators, the West’s lowest seeded team. The Calgary Flames won the Pacific Division and are taking on the seventh-seed Dallas Stars. The Minnesota Wild grabbed second place in the Central division and are battling the St. Louis Blues, who finished in third. Superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers look to finally make some noise in the playoffs and are taking on the Los Angeles Kings, who finished one spot below them in the Pacific.
This year, playoff games are being spread out between ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, TNT and TBS.?
With?live TV streaming services, cord-cutters can watch live TV without a cable subscription. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch or stream the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Read more: MLB Streaming 2022: How to Watch Your Baseball Team Live This Season
The Stanley Cup playoffs start now.
Jeff Bottari/NHLI/Getty ImagesNHL Playoffs FAQ
What’s the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs’ first-round schedule?
Here’s the schedule for today and tomorrow, including the series status. See NHL.com for the full schedule.
Wednesday, May 4
- Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes, Game 2, 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) on ESPN (Hurricanes lead 1-0)
- Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 2, 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT) on ESPN 2 (Maple Leafs lead 1-0)
- St. Louis Blues vs. Minnesota Wild, Game 2, 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT) on ESPN (Blues lead 1-0)
- Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers, Game 2, 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on ESPN 2 (Kings lead 1-0)
Thursday, May 5
- Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers, Game 2, 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) on TNT (Penguins lead 1-0)
- Washington Capitals vs. Florida Panthers, Game 2, 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT) on TBS (Capitals lead 1-0)?
- Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche, Game 2, 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT) on TNT (Avalanche lead 1-0)
- Dallas Stars vs. Calgary Flames, Game 2, 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on TBS (Flames lead 1-0)
What does the full bracket look like??
THE 2021-22 #StanleyCup PLAYOFFS ARE LOCKED. ??
Register NOW for the #NHLBracket Challenge ?? https://t.co/ANERgXeSNC pic.twitter.com/kFAOV5MHvB
— NHL (@NHL) April 30, 2022
Which channels are broadcasting playoff games?
The NHL playoffs are airing on a collection of networks in the US, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, TBS and TNT.
The Stanley Cup Finals will air on ESPN in the US and on Sportsnet in Canada.
How can I stream the games on my phone?
If you have a live TV streaming service (like Sling TV, YouTube TV or one of the ones below), you can use its app. If you have cable or satellite, you can use your provider’s app or one of the following (after logging in with your cable provider’s credentials):
- For TNT games, you will need the Watch TNT app. Click on the “person” icon in the lower right and sign in under the section “Sign in with your TV provider.”?
- For ESPN and ABC games, use the ESPN app. Click the gear icon in the upper right and then select “Manage TV provider.”?
In all cases, you will need to have a TV package that includes ABC, ESPN and TNT to be able to watch NHL?playoff games using these apps.
How to watch, livestream the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs
As these games all air nationally, the best way to catch all the hockey action live, without cable, is with a live TV streaming service.
YouTube TV: $65
Carries ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, TNT, TBS
YouTube TV costs $65 a month and offers all the channels you’ll need for playoffs.?
See at YouTube
Sling TV Orange: $35
Carries ESPN, TNT
Sling TV’s Orange plan includes ESPN, ESPN 2, TBS and TNT. While Sling lacks access to ABC, you can watch those games using the simulcast stream available on ESPN3.?
See at Sling TV
DirecTV Stream: $70
Carries ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, TBS, and TNT
DirecTV Stream’s cheapest, $70-a-month Plus package includes ESPN, ABC and TNT.
See at DirecTV Stream
Hulu Plus Live TV: $70
Carries ESPN, ABC and TNT
Hulu Plus Live TV costs $70 a month and carries ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, TBS and TNT.?
See at Hulu
FuboTV: $70
Carries ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC
FuboTV costs $70 per month and includes ABC and ESPN, but not TNT or TBS.
See at FuboTV
Most live TV streaming services offer a free trial or discounts during the first month, allow you to cancel anytime and all require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our?live TV streaming services guide.