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The Boston Bruins are playing their final home game of 2025 on Tuesday, Dec. 23 when they welcome the Montreal Canadiens to TD Garden in Boston as the home team closes out a disappointing five-game home stand.

This NHL game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on NESN and ESPN+. Fans looking to watch can do so for free by using DIRECTV, which offers a free trial, or FuboTV, which also offers a free trial as well as up to $30 off your first month. You can stream ESPN Unlimited on your phone, tablet, smart TV or gaming console, and bundle your plan with NFL+ Premium or with NFL+ Premium, Disney+ and Hulu. Additionally, those with DIRECTV, FuboTV or Hulu + Live TV can access ESPN Unlimited through their package.

The Bruins have lost three straight, all to Canadian teams at home, most recently falling to the Ottawa Senators, 6-2, on Sunday. Since returning home last week for five games at TD Garden before a five-game road trip to end 2025 and open 2026, Boston has watched a promising start to the home stretch lead to nothing but defeats. After a 4-1 win over the Utah Mammoth, the squad has been outscored 14-7 in three games, losing two by multiple goals, and the other was the team’s first overtime loss this season, a 5-4 loss to the Vancouver Canucks that went to a shootout. On Sunday, David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy both scored. with McAvoy assisting on Pastrnak’s goal, and then scoring his first of the season to make it a 5-2 game at that point in the second period.

The Bruins are now 20-16-1, and 2 points behind the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division standings for third. Montreal is 19-12-5 and coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was the second of a back-to-back home-and-home series between the squads that opened with the Canadiens getting a 4-0 win at home on Saturday. Juraj Slafkovsky opened scoring in Saturday’s game with a power play goal, and then Pwen Beck scored his first of the season to make it 2-0 in the first period. Then, Josh Anderson scored his first of 2 goals in the second period, shorthanded, and then he capped scoring in the third with an empty netter. In the follow up on Sunday, Oliver Kapanen opened the scoring, and then early in the second, Ivan Demidov tied things up at 2. Noah Dobson tied the game again in the third to make it 3-3, but with only Cole Caufield scoring in the shoutout, the Canadiens lost it 2-1, losing the game 4-3.

WATCH NHL GAMES FREE WITH DIRECTV

Who: Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins

When: Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. EST

Where: TD Garden in Boston

Stream: DIRECTV (free trial); FuboTV (free trial); ESPN

Streaming ServiceStarting Monthly PriceFree TrialFree Trial LengthMax DiscountDIRECTV$89.99Yes5 days$40 off first monthFuboTV$55.99Yes5 days$30 off first monthESPN$12.99NoN/AN/A

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