How to watch Thursday’s NHL schedule online, game times, preview and TV coverage

Twenty-four NHL teams are in action on Thursday night, the second full night of the 2014-15 season. Four of those teams also played a night ago to open the league’s season, but all 12 games Thursday night will be home openers for teams involved.

The Buffalo Sabres kick off a season they hope will end with the top overall draft pick and Connor McDavid, while in the nation’s capital, Barry Trotz takes over a Washington Capitals team that’s thinking playoff berth after a year out of the postseason in 2013-14. Division rivals face off in six of the 12 games: New Jersey vs. Philadelphia, Boston vs. Detroit, Florida vs. Tampa Bay, Chicago vs. Dallas, Colorado vs. Minnesota and Calgary vs. Edmonton.

Out West, the Arizona Coyotes play their first ever regular season game under that new name, and they’ll do so against their old namesake, the Winnipeg Jets. The New York Rangers begin their Eastern Conference title defense against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center.

Here’s a full list of the night’s action and how you can watch that action. Games in italics are blacked out nationally on NHL Center Ice or NHL GameCenter Live in the United States. All others are available outside of local markets.