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NHL Opening Night: Where to watch Game 1, predictions, more

ByEric Treuden|
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 11: K'Andre Miller #79 of the New York Rangers shakes hands with Erik Cernak #81 of the Tampa Bay Lightning after Game Six of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on June 11, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 11: K'Andre Miller #79 of the New York Rangers shakes hands with Erik Cernak #81 of the Tampa Bay Lightning after Game Six of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on June 11, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Where to watch NHL opening night’s Tampa Bay Lightning v. New York Rangers matchup.

Tuesday, Oct. 11 marks the day all NHL fans have been anxiously waiting for, opening night is finally here and FanSided has all of the info you’ll need to know to follow the first game of the evening that will see the New York Rangers take on the Tampa Bay Lightning at home.

The two teams are very familiar with each other, as Tuesday’s matchup will be a rematch from June’s Eastern Conference Final that saw the Lightning lose the first two games in the best-of-seven series only to bounce back and win the next four games, stunning the Rangers and moving on to the club’s fourth straight Stanley Cup Final (in which they lost to the Avalanche).

The Lightning will enter the 2022-23 season without three of its premier names in Ondřej Palát (lost in free agency to the New Jersey Devils), Ryan McDonagh (traded to the Nashville Predators) and Jan Rutta (lost in free agency to the Pittsburgh Penguins), but the club remains one of the NHL’s premier talents on both the offensive and defensive side of things. Veterans Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov will be the centerpieces of the offense once again.

As with the Lightning, the Rangers will be entering this season with sky-high expectations as well on the heels of such a strong playoff march last year. Goalie Igor Shesterkin, who won the Vezina Trophy last year, is expected to do great things this season and will be one to watch as he gets tested in some big games in the upcoming campaign. Shesterkin, as well as youngsters Alexis Lafrenière, Kaapo Kaako and Filip Chytil will be expected to step up this year as the team looks for a second consecutive postseason berth.

(Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
(Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

NHL Opening Night: When does the game begin?

Tonight’s matchup kicks off at 7:30 ET in New York City, New York at Madison Square Garden.

What channel will the game be on?

The Lightning v. Rangers matchup will be airing on ESPN.

Where can the game be streamed from?

fuboTV (Watch for free)

DIRECTV (5-Day Free Trial of DIRECTV STREAM)

Sling TV (Get 50% off your first month now)

ESPN+

YouTubeTV

Hulu + Live TV

Betting odds for tonight’s matchup:

Spread: -1.5 (NYR)
Moneyline: NYR -118 TBL -102
Total: Over/Under 5.5

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