The NHL second round playoff matchups continue tonight with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. Fans can livestream tonight’s NHL playoff action for free by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. If fans have already used both of those free trials, then they can get a discounted Sling subscription to watch NHL and NBA playoff action tonight.

(D1) New York Rangers vs (D2) Carolina Hurricanes

The New York Rangers play against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN to start the NHL playoff doubleheader.

The Rangers head into game 5 with a 3-1 series lead over the Hurricanes, and they are looking to close out the series with a win at home tonight. Although the series looks like a blowout from afar, it has actually been extremely competitive in every game. All four of the games in this series have been decided by one goal, and two of them were decided in overtime. So, this series could easily be tied 2-2.

The Hurricanes avoided the series sweep on Saturday, as they snagged a 4-3 win at home in game 4. The four goals from the Hurricanes were all scored by different players, so it was an all-around effort to win the matchup. Tonight will be a tough battle for the Hurricanes, as they try to steal a game in New York to extend the series. The games have been close, which gives life to the Hurricanes. However, the competitiveness in this series will make it hard to win three more games in a row to advance in the NHL playoffs.

(D1) Dallas Stars vs (D3) Colorado Avalanche

The Dallas Stars play against the Colorado Avalanche tonight at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN, and it will be game 4 of their second round series.

The Stars hold a 2-1 series lead over the Avalanche and have won two games in a row. After an overtime loss in game 1, the Stars have been dominant in the past two games. Game 2 was a 5-3 win for the Stars, while game 3 was a 4-1 win. So, they have been able to slow down the high-scoring Avalanche offense during this series. Additionally, their five goal performance during game 2 was the highest number of goals they have scored all postseason. So, they are starting to perform better on the offensive end, which has relieved a lot of pressure from their goalkeeper.

Despite scoring fewer goals in this second round NHL playoff series, the Avalanche still lead all postseason teams in goals per game. This statistic showcases that the Avalanche can be highly productive offensively, but they have not been able to consistently display that against the Stars. Tonight is a huge game for the Avalanche, as they try to even the series 2-2 before heading to Dallas for game 5. In order to win tonight, they will need to score early and get their home crowd invested in this pivotal game.

Fans can watch tonight’s NHL second round playoff action by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a discounted first month of service to new users.