2023 Stanley Cup Finals: how to watch, schedule, scores and everything to know
The race for the Stanley Cup is on.
It's been an entertaining Stanley Cup Playoffs, but now it is time for the main event, the Stanley Cup Finals, with the Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers set to battle for the right to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup above their heads in victory.
Often regarded as one of the most exciting sporting events of the year, we've got everything you need to know to make sure you don't miss a minute of the on-ice action. Let's not waste any time and get right into things.
How to watch 2023 Stanley Cup Finals in US
This year, the NHL on TNT is handling the broadcast of the Stanley Cup Finals. TNT is widely available through traditional pay-TV subscription as well as live TV streaming services, including DirecTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV (both Blue and Orang plans) and YouTube TV.
ESPN had also been broadcasting Stanley Cup Playoff games throughout the first three rounds, but all Finals games are going to be exclusively on TNT.
How to watch 2023 Stanley Cup Finals in Canada
Canadian hockey fans wanting to watch the Stanley Cup Finals can do so on CBC and Sportsnet Networks, including streaming on those two networks respective services, CBC Gem and SN NOW.
How to watch 2023 Stanley Cup Finals in the UK
The NHL playoffs are not easily available to watch in the UK, but there are a couple of options, including NHL.TV, Premier Sports and Viaplay.
Stanley Cup Finals schedule
Saturday, June 3
- Florida Panthers 2, Vegas Golden Knights 5 (Golden Knights up 1-0)
Monday, June 5
- Florida Panthers 2, Vegas Golden Knights 7 (Golden Knights up 2-0)
Thursday, June 8
- Vegas Golden Knights 2, Florida Panthers 3 (Golden Knights up 2-1)
Saturday, June 10
- Vegas Golden Knights 3, Florida Panthers 2 (Golden Knights up 3-1)
Tuesday, June 13
- Florida Panthers vs Vegas Golden Knights, Game 5, 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, TNT
Friday, June 16
- Vegas Golden Knights vs Florida Panthers, Game 6 (if necessary), 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, TNT
Monday, June 19
- Florida Panthers vs Vegas Golden Knights, Game 7 (if necessary), 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, TNT
Stanley Cup Playoffs FAQs
What teams are in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Sixteen teams, eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference, are set to compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here are all 16 teams:
Eastern Conference:
Boston Bruins
Carolina Hurricanes
Florida Panthers
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Ranger
Tampa Bay Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs
Western Conference:
Colorado Avalanche
Dallas Stars
Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Seattle Kraken
Vegas Golden Knights
Winnipeg Jets
What is the Stanley Cup Playoff format?
The field of 16 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is set with the top three teams in each of the four divisions automatically qualifying. Then there are two wild card teams in each conference, determined by which teams are the next two highest finishers in their conference.
In the first round, the division winner with the best record in the conference plays the team with the lesser record between the two wild card teams; the other division winner plays the wild card team with the better record. The teams that finish second and third in their divisions play each other.
Each round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a best-of-seven series, so the first team to win four games will advance to the next round.
There is no reseeding. Once the bracket is set, it follows that format all the way through to the Stanley Cup Finals.
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Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.