The NHL first-round playoff action continues tonight with two more games.

One game will be televised on TBS, and the other will be shown on ESPN 2. NHL fans can watch the action from both teams online for free by utilizing the free trial offered by DirecTV Stream. An alternative for hockey fans is a discounted Sling subscription, which has all the channels for the NHL and NBA playoffs.

(D1) Florida Panthers vs (WC1) Tampa Bay Lightning

The first game tonight will be the Florida Panthers facing the Tampa Bay Lightning at 6 p.m. CT on TBS, and it will be game 3 in the series. The Panthers currently have a 2-0 series lead heading into tonight’s game at Tampa Bay, with the first two games both ending in narrow 3-2 victories. So, the third game should keep the intensity high because of the highly competitive nature of the first two games.

The Lightning will be trying to defend their home ice over the next two games and even the series at 2-2. Game 2 was an especially difficult loss for the Lightning, as they were defeated in overtime. Despite finishing the regular season with seven fewer wins, the Lightning have shown they are capable of competing with the Panthers in the series.

(D2) Carolina Hurricanes vs (D3) New York Islanders

The Carolina Hurricanes take on the New York Islanders in the other NHL game tonight at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN 2. The Hurricanes currently have a 2-0 series lead heading into game 3 tonight in New York. The Islanders have lost each of the first two games by two goals, but they held a 3-0 lead during the second period of game 2. Heading into the third period, the Islanders still had a 3-1 lead over the Hurricanes. However, the Hurricanes battled back by scoring four goals and holding the Islanders to zero goals in the final 20 minutes.

The loss was crushing for the Islanders, as the series could have easily been tied 1-1 heading to New York for the next two games. Despite the tough loss, the Islanders are looking to defend their home ice and claw their way back into the series.

There is plenty of sports content for fans to watch tonight, including the NHL playoffs, NBA playoffs, and the 2024 NFL draft. All of these events can be viewed for free with DirecTV Stream’s free trial, or fans can purchase a discounted Sling subscription to watch everything live.