Fifteen goals across three periods made the opening contest between the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild one of the highest-scoring postseason affairs in recent memory. Colorado emerged with a 9-6 result, and now both sides return to Ball Arena in Denver for Game 2 on Tuesday, May 5, with the puck dropping at 8 p.m. ET. The broadcast airs on ESPN, and several streaming options are available for viewers who have already cut the cord or never picked it up to begin with.
Where and How to Watch Game 2
ESPN holds the broadcast rights for this contest, meaning viewers with a cable or satellite subscription can tune in directly. For those without traditional pay-TV, two streaming paths are worth considering. ESPN Unlimited, the direct-to-consumer service launched by ESPN in August 2025, carries every postseason contest airing on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 for $30 per month. The plan also bundles access to ESPN+, ESPN2, SEC Network, ACC Network, and approximately 47,000 live events annually - a significant content library for households that prioritize live programming.
Sling TV offers an alternative, particularly for viewers who want flexibility without committing to a full monthly subscription. A one-day pass to Sling Orange costs $5 and is sufficient to access the ESPN broadcast for a single night. For those who want to follow the full series, the Sling Orange monthly plan runs $46, while the combined Orange and Blue package - which adds TNT and truTV, both of which carry later-round contests - costs $61 per month. That pricing undercuts most competing live TV services and makes Sling a practical choice for budget-conscious viewers who want broad postseason coverage.
The Full Series Schedule
Games 1 and 2 are held in Denver, with the series shifting to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4. Here is the confirmed and projected broadcast schedule:
- Game 1 - Sunday, May 3: Avalanche 9, Wild 6 (final)
- Game 2 - Tuesday, May 5, 8 p.m. ET: Wild at Avalanche - ESPN, ESPN Unlimited
- Game 3 - Saturday, May 9, 9 p.m. ET: Avalanche at Wild - TNT, truTV, HBO Max
- Game 4 - Monday, May 11, TBA: Avalanche at Wild - ESPN, ESPN Unlimited
- Game 5 - Wednesday, May 13, TBA (if necessary): Wild at Avalanche - TNT, truTV, HBO Max
- Game 6 - Friday, May 15, TBA (if necessary): Avalanche at Wild - ESPN, ESPN Unlimited
- Game 7 - Sunday, May 17, TBA (if necessary): Wild at Avalanche - TNT, truTV, HBO Max
Because the postseason rights are split between the ESPN family and the TNT family of networks, viewers who want uninterrupted access to the entire series will need subscriptions covering both groups of channels. The Sling Orange and Blue bundle at $61 per month covers all of them. The day-pass option, by contrast, only covers Sling Orange content - meaning ESPN broadcasts - and does not extend to TNT or truTV.
Watching From Outside Your Home Market
Geo-restrictions can block access to streaming services when a viewer is traveling outside their usual location. A virtual private network, or VPN, routes your connection through a server in a location of your choosing, allowing you to access content as though you were still at home. ExpressVPN is widely regarded as a reliable option, with servers in 105 countries, strong encryption standards, and a 30-day refund policy. Current pricing starts at approximately $5 per month. A VPN does not replace a streaming subscription - it only allows you to access the subscription you already hold from a different physical location.
For viewers seeking lower-cost alternatives, NordVPN starts at roughly $3.09 per month with an emphasis on security features, Surfshark offers entry-level pricing around $2.50 per month, and Proton VPN provides a free tier with limited server options for occasional use.
