Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves to keep the Bruins vs Panthers series alive, but the return to TD Garden might not be the boost it's cracked up to be. The Panthers have won five straight NHL Playoff games in Boston – one more and they'll punch a ticket to the Eastern Conference Final, where the Rangers await.
Read on and we'll show you how to watch NHL Playoffs 2024 from anywhere with a VPN, and potentially for FREE.
The 2024 NHL Playoffs start on Saturday, April 20 and will conclude in June. Full schedule below.
• U.S. — ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, ABC/ESPN3 (via Sling TV)
• CAN — CBC Gem (FREE) & Sportsnet
• AUS — Kayo Sports (free trial)
• U.K. — Viaplay
• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free
The Bruins' victory granted them Jim Montgomery's men their first extended break of the postseason, during which Brad Marchand returned to practice. Boston's skipper has missed the past two games after taking a hit from Sam Bennett, and he's been badly missed.
After that, it's over to Ball Arena for Game 6 of the Stars vs Avalanche series. After a temporary blip, we saw the best of Cale Makar in the Avs' vital midweek victory, and while they're on the road with no more margin for error, the Stars have struggled at home this postseason, going 3-4 in Dallas.
Here's everything you need to know to watch NHL Playoffs 2024 online, plus the full schedule, TV channels and all the live stream information, with or without cable.
NHL Playoffs games and TV schedule
(All times ET)
Friday, May 17
- 7 p.m. – Game 6: Panthers vs Bruins | TNT & TruTV/Sling
- 10 p.m. – Game 6: Stars vs Avalanche | TNT & TruTV/Sling
Watch NHL Playoffs in the U.S.
In the U.S., the 2024 NHL Playoffs are being shown on TNT, TBS, TruTV, ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC/ESPN3. The Finals will be on ABC and ESPN3.
If you've already cut the cord and don't have a cable package, you can get all of those channels through an OTT cable TV alternative.
Sling TV is one of the better options. It includes TNT, ESPN and ESPN3 in its Orange plan, with prices starting from $40/month and your first month half-price.
Select games, including those being shown on ABC, will also be live streamed on ESPN Plus. While an ESPN Plus subscription does not give you access to regular ESPN content, it will grant you access to thousands of live events, original shows and series that can't be found anywhere else (not even on the standard ESPN service).
An even cheaper option for this year is HBO's streaming service Max with its B/R Sports Add-On, which is being included for free for a limited time.
The B/R Sports Add-On brings access to all the NHL Playoffs games on TNT. Max prices start at $9.99/month with ads, going to $15.99/month ad-free. Or there's a special on at the moment with 20% off if you pay for a whole year upfront.
Watch NHL Playoffs from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the Stanley Cup hockey on your subscriptions?
You can still watch the NHL Playoffs live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for hoops fans away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:
How to watch NHL Playoffs in the U.K.
Viaplay has the rights to the NHL in the U.K..
You'll have to subscribe to the Total package for coverage, with the plan costing £14.99 per month. However, there is currently a deal in place for annual membership that saves you 33%, is equivalent to a monthly fee of £9.99.
If you're not in the U.K. right now, you can still watch an NHL Playoffs live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Watch NHL Playoffs in Canada
The 2024 NHL Playoffs are split between CBC and Sportsnet in Canada.
Games shown on CBC will also be live streamed on the channel's CBC Gem service. CBC Gem is free (with ads) or CA$4.99 a month (ad-free).
A Sportsnet subscription starts at CA$19.99 per month and provides access to a whole host of other sports, both on Sportsnet and Sportsnet Plus. There's also a $179.99 annual subscription that averages out at CA$14.99 per month.
If you live in Canada but aren't at home right now, you can still watch an NHL Playoffs live stream by using a quality VPN like NordVPN.
Watch NHL Playoffs 2024 in Australia
Aussies will find NHL Playoffs live streams on ESPN via Foxtel.
Don't have Foxtel and don't want to subscribe? Specialist streaming service Kayo Sports is also showing the NHL Playoffs, with its affordable, commitment-free plans starting from just $25/month, and hosting plenty of cricket, AFL, rugby, F1 and loads of other live sports besides.
There's also a 7-day FREE trial for anybody who hasn't used the service before.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on your Kayo account as if you were back home.
