NHL playoffs: Watch Devils Lightning free live stream, TV, more

Most sports fans are accustomed to seeing the No. 1 seed of any given conference during the playoffs breeze through the first round against what is effectively the No. 8 seed.

However, the Eastern Conference’s first-round matchup between the Atlantic Division-winning Tampa Bay Lightning and the New Jersey Devils, who took the final Wild Card spot, might not be as easy a series as it looks on paper even with the Lightning have the league’s best offense.

Star captain Steven Stamkos is not at 100-percent after missing four of the last seven games of the regular season due to a lower-body injury. Though he will play to start the series against the Devils, he might not be as effective as the man who recorded 86 points this year, his most since the 2011-12 season.

The Lightning though has a new superstar in Nikita Kucherov, who should carry Tampa just fine if Stamkos proves hampered by his injury. The 24-year-old finished third in the league with 100 points (39 G, 61 A) as he leads a young explosive unit that features 22-year-old Brayden Point (32 G) and rookie Yanni Gourde (25 G).

Tampa Bay has faltered down the stretch though, losing five of their last eight games of the year which made their clinching of the Atlantic Division nervy. It will also be facing a Devils team that swept the season series with three wins.

New Jersey is one of the NHL’s hottest teams, winning 10 of their last 14 games and are anchored by Taylor Hall, a contender for the Hart Trophy after recording a career-best 39 goals and 54 assists for 93 points.

Here is how you can catch all the action on TV and online:

Game 1 @ Lightning

Date: Thursday, Apr. 12

Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV: NHL Network

Live Stream: fuboTV

Game 2 @ Lightning

Date: Saturday, Apr. 14

Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Live Stream: fuboTV

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra