The No. 2 Dallas Stars play against the No. 3 Colorado Avalanche in game 1 of their NHL playoff series tonight. The matchup will begin at 7:30 p.m. CT on TNT. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV Stream. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Stars ended the regular season with a 50-26-6 record, but they have underperformed recently. The team has lost seven consecutive games.

In order to bounce back this evening, the Stars will need to rely on their star forward Matt Duchene. He currently leads the team in points and assists.

The Avalanche ended the regular season with a 49-29-4 record, and they are coming off a 4-2 win against Anaheim. During the victory, Colorado overcame a 2-0 deficit in the third period.

In order to win game 1 tonight, the Avalanche will need a great performance from their star forward Nathan MacKinnon. He has the second-most points in the NHL this season, so he will try to continue his offensive success this evening.

Fans can watch game 1 of this NHL playoff series for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV Stream. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.