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The Florida Panthers take on the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday.
In the US, the game (8 p.m. ET start time) will be televised on TNT, but if you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream on DirecTV Stream, which includes TNT and comes with a free trial.
That’s the best live stream option if you’re cutting cable, but there are also some other alternatives, so here’s a full guide on the different ways you can watch a live stream of the Panthers vs Golden Knights Game 1 online:
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DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” TNT is included in every one, and you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch the Panthers vs Golden Knights live on the DirecTV Stream app or DirecTV Stream website.
Compatible devices for the DirecTV Stream app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Sling TV
You can watch a live stream of TNT and 40-plus other live TV channels via Sling TV’s “Sling Orange” or “Sling Blue” bundle. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but it’s the cheapest long-term streaming service with TNT, and you can get your first month for half off:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch the Panthers vs Golden Knights live on the Sling TV app or Sling TV website.
Compatible devices for the Sling TV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of TNT and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which now also includes access to both ESPN+ and Disney+ at no added cost:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch the Panthers vs Golden Knights live on the Hulu app or Hulu website.
Compatible devices for the Hulu app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Panthers vs Golden Knights Game 1 Preview
The 2023 Stanley Cup Finals will be a clash of teams located in two cities that one doesn’t normally associate with hockey — Las Vegas and Miami. But both teams have looked very strong in recent weeks.
While the Las Vegas Golden Knights sat atop the Pacific Division of the Western Conference with a record of 51-22-9, the Florida Panthers actually finished in fourth in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. But they have been playing great hockey, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4 games to 1 in round 2 of the playoffs and then sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference finals.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have had closer series on their way to the finals. They beat the Edmonton Oilers 4 games to 2 in round 2 and then beat the Dallas Stars 4 games to 2 to advance to the finals.
In the regular season, the Golden Knights and the Panthers met twice and split their head-to-head match-ups. In January, the Golden Knights came away with the victory in that game by a score of 4-2. Then in March, the Panthers won 2-1.
In ESPN’s preview of the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals, analyst Kristen Shilton said that Panthers really have nothing to lose after most pundits counted them out this season.
“Florida plays by its own rules — and has a great time doing it. That’s been the Panthers’ secret sauce since punching their last-minute ticket into the playoff field. They truly approach each game with a fun-focused attitude; there’s no pressure or expectations weighing them down, and that’s a gift in itself,” writes Shilton. “Florida is also a superior team to the one talked about throughout the regular season. The Panthers can win tight-checking, defensive-heavy battles or the more wide-open, offensively amplified ones. They’re deep, they’re dangerous and most importantly, the Panthers know exactly who they are. And clearly, they knew that way before anyone else. Regardless of how the finals end for Florida, this has been a spectacular spring for a team pundits previously left for dead.”
Meanwhile, writer Ryan S. Clark says of the Golden Knights, “Enough was in place at the close of the regular season to suggest the Golden Knights had depth. The playoffs have shown there are layers to the Golden Knights, and how they operate. All of their lines can consistently forecheck, with the notion that all of their combinations have their unique way of creating scoring chances.”
Whichever team wins will bring home the first Stanley Cup victory for their franchise.
The full finals schedule is as follows (all times Eastern):
Game 1: Saturday, June 3, Florida at Las Vegas, 8 p.m. on TNT
Game 2: Monday, June 5, Florida at Las Vegas, 8 p.m. on TNT
Game 3: Thursday, June 8, Las Vegas at Florida, 8 p.m. on TNT
Game 4: Saturday, June 10, Las Vegas at Florida, 8 p.m. on TNT
Game 5: Tuesday, June 13, Florida at Las Vegas, 8 p.m. on TNT (if needed)
Game 6: Friday, June 16, Las Vegas at Florida, 8 p.m. on TNT (if needed)
Game 7: Monday, June 19, Florida at Las Vegas, 8 p.m. on TNT (if needed)
The 2023 Stanley Cup Finals game 1 between the Florida Panthers and Las Vegas Golden Knights kicks off on Saturday, June 3 at 8 p.m. Eastern time on TNT.