The New York Rangers will play the Washington Capitals in the NHL 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Thursday night. Game 1 takes place from Madison Square Garden in New York, and has a start time scheduled for 7.30 p.m. ET.

Today's big game between the Rangers and Capitals can be watched on TV on the NBC network or online through live stream via the link provided below.

This is Game 1 of a best of seven series, and both teams will know how important claiming an early win is. Especially for the Rangers, making sure they keep home ice advantage will be priority, and they won't want to give up anything as the series opens tonight.

Team news for this Eastern Conference Second Round series Game 1 will see the Rangers able to put out a healthy defense as Kevin Kline returns. He of course had been out since March 11 when he was injured while blocking a shot at the Verizon Center.

However, one change will see Martin St. Louis replace Mats Zuccarello on the right wing on the New York Rangers' top line. Zuccarello is out with an injury after being hit in the head by a slap shot from Ryan McDonagh in Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Meanwhile, for the Capitals, Eric Fehr will make the journey to Madison Square Garden but will not play in Game 1. Fehr has not taken to the ice since Game 3 against the New York Islanders, although there are rumors that he could make it back for Game 2 against the Rangers.

Rangers center Derek Stepan has said ahead of the game: "Our biggest reason we had success this year is because we do try to play as fast as possible. You're still going to get hit, it's not going to change that. But if we are able to work in groups of five, have close support and talk, we might be able to get through [the Capitals] finishing their checks."

Tonight's big Game 1 between the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals can be watched on TNT from 7.30 p.m. ET and can be watched online through live stream by clicking here.