NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: How to Watch Kraken vs. Stars Game 7 Tonight – CNET

See at ESPN

ESPN Plus: $10 a month

Carries 2023 Stanley Cup playoff games live

See at Sling TV

Sling TV Orange: $40, $60 or $65

Carries ESPN, TNT and ABC (via ESPN3)

See at Hulu

Hulu Plus Live TV: $70

Carries ABC, ESPN, and TNT

There’s only one game left in the second round of the Stanley Cup. The Seattle Kraken will face off tonight against the Dallas Stars in Game 7 of their contentious series. The winner will play the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference finals. 

The Eastern Conference finals were set over the weekend as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils in five games, while the Florida Panthers dispatched the Toronto Maple Leafs in six.

Seattle, in only its second season, is hoping to continue its impressive playoff run. Meanwhile, the Stars are trying to get back to the Western Conference finals for the first time since they lost in the Stanley Cup Final to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019-2020 season. Game 7 will be played tonight, Monday May 15, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on ESPN. 

Thanks to live TV streaming services, cord-cutters can stream all the action with no cable subscription required. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch or stream the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs.

Matty Beniers puffs his chest after scoring a goal.

Matty Beniers and the Seattle Kraken face off against the Dallas Stars in Game 7 of their second round playoff series. 

Steph Chambers/Getty Images

NHL Playoffs FAQ

What is the 2023 first round playoff schedule?

Here’s the schedule for the last day of the second round of the Stanley Cup, including the series status. See NHL.com for the full schedule.

Monday, May 15

  • Seattle Kraken vs. Dallas Stars, Game 7, 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on ESPN (series tied 3-3)

What does the full bracket look like? 

What channels will broadcast playoff games?

The NHL playoffs air on a collection of networks, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, TNT and TBS.

The Stanley Cup Final will air on TNT 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 ABC games, use the ESPN app. Click the gear icon in the upper right and then select Manage TV provider.
  • For TNT games, use the TNT app. Click the person icon to sign in with your TV provider. 

How to watch, livestream the 2023 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.

ESPN Plus is the home of hockey’s out-of-market coverage and will air all Stanley Cup playoff games simultaneously with ABC and ESPN. 

While the $10 a month, $100 per year service is best suited for die-hard fans of the sports it covers well — mainly hockey, soccer and UFC — more casual fans might find themselves with an ESPN Plus subscription anyway through the Disney bundle, which also includes Hulu and Disney Plus with ads for $13 total.

Sling TV’s Orange plan includes ESPN and TNT. ABC, however, is only available in eight markets (Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Fresno, Houston and Raleigh) and requires the Orange and Blue combo plan if you want ESPN too. That combo plan costs $65 per month in all of those cities except Fresno, Houston and Raleigh, where it costs $60. Even if ABC isn’t available in your area, you can watch those games using the simulcast stream available on ESPN3. 

Hulu Plus Live TV costs $70 a month and carries ABC, ESPN and TNT. 

YouTube TV costs $73 a month and offers ABC, ESPN and TNT.

DirecTV Stream is expensive. It’s the priciest of the five major live TV streaming services. Its cheapest, $65-a-month Entertainment package includes ESPN, ABC, and TNT. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels and RSNs are available in your area. 

It is worth noting that DirecTV has an additional $15 “advanced receiver service” fee that automatically applies and is added on to the sticker price, which makes the Entertainment package $80 per month.

FuboTV costs $75 a month and also includes ABC and ESPN but not TNT. 

Most live TV streaming services offer a free trial or discounts during the first month and allow you to cancel anytime. All require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.