How to access NHL Gamecenter without blackouts

Now NHL Gamecenter is a great service. The only issue is getting around these pesky blackouts. Luckily there is a simple and reliable solution. A VPN, or virtual private network. The general idea is that you connect to this service when you want services like NHL Gamecenter to think you live in the US (or pretty much anywhere else in the world). You just select a region outside of the blackout area and you’re good to go!

Obviously the first step is to be subscribed to NHL Gamecenter. It’s usually just over $100 for the season which is pretty great. Your other option would be to use Hockeystreams. Unfortunately right now Hockeystreams is not accepting new customers so NHL Gamecenter is the only game in town right now.

Which VPN should I choose?

Le tme skip the formalities. Private Internet Access is far and away the best VPN on the market for the price. They don’t keep any logs and have a stellar reputation and good customer service.The service is also quite fast. I rarely see any drop in speed when using the service.

How do I get started?

To get up and running head on over to the Private Internet Access VPN website here. Click the big “Get Started Now” button to start your setup.

Probably the best value is going for the one year plan, which works out to $3.33 a month. And believe me, it is well worth the price of admission. You’ll get access to all of this extra online content from around the world, but also be secure in knowing that your identity is protected online. So if you like torrenting (if you’re into that kind of thing), Private Internet Access can give you a bit of piece of mind.

Private Internet Access works on pretty much any device you own (Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, iPad) and is pretty foolproof to use.  It’s simply an app that you open up, select the server you want to use and then click connect! So if I want to access UK Netflix, I can connect to a server in the UK. Same for Japan, the US, Canada etc.

How do I use the Private Internet Access App?

This is the super easy part. Once you sign up for the service they will send you both your login info as well as a link to go download their app for your different devices. For Android you’ll see the PIA app on Google Play and for iOS you’ll see it on the App Store.  I use both Windows PCs and Macs at home and both work the exact same way.  When you want to mask your location, simply open up the app. When it first starts you’ll see a little man icon appear in your taskbar (Windows) or the top menu bar (Mac). He will be red, meaning that you are currently NOT connected to any Private Internet Access servers.

On Windows, right click on this little icon and then you’ll see a long list of the different possible servers to connect to. I recommend finding one that that is closest to your actual location. So if I am in Alberta, Canada I may want to choose the “US Midwest” server since it is relatively close geographically. So click on “Connect US Midwest” and the little red man will slowly turn into a little green man. Once he is a bright green colour then you are good to go. Netflix and Hulu will now think you live somewhere in the US Midwest and will grant you access to this content.

Wrap-up

Private Internet Access is absolutely my pick for a simple and reliable VPN for the everyday user. It’s ease of use, reliability and speed are heads and shoulders above its competition. It just works. That’s why I have used it consistently for the past year and a half.

For NHL Gamecenter this is probably the best service for the price.

Please note that I do get a small commission if you click on the links above (at no cost to you). I have used Private Internet Access for over a year now and absolutely love their service and would not be promoting it if I wasn’t totally happy with it.  If you have any questions please do send me an email.

The post How to access NHL Gamecenter without blackouts by using a VPN appeared first on Cord Breaker.

My favourite time of year is coming around again.  Hockey season! But what is the best service to subscribe to this year to get your NHL fix, NHL Gamecenter Live or Hockeystreams.com?

The answer is not as simple as you may think.  Here are the factors you need to think about:

Local blackouts

The biggest knock against NHL Gamecenter is that it has those pesky local blackouts of games.  This means that if you live in Winnipeg, then more often than not, you actually won’t be able to watch the Jets play on Gamecenter. Now, if you like a team that is not locally in your city, you will likely be able to avoid local blackouts much more often.

Hockeystreams.com does not have any local blackouts to deal with.

Use a VPN like Private Internet Access

The most foolproof way of avoiding local blackouts right now is using a VPN service like Private Internet Access.  Basically this service allows you to appear to be in any number of locations (including many in the US) to skirt around blackouts. It works and it is also a great tool to protect your privacy online.

Use a DNS masker like UnblockUs

I have been using Gamecenter Live for many seasons now without local blackouts because I use a service called UnblockUs.  It is super simple to setup on individual devices or even at your router.  Check out this post that talks all about how to avoid local blackouts.

What devices are you using?

Here is a breakdown of what devices each service works natively on.  Natively meaning that there is an actual app that exists on the platform and it doesn’t require any funky tweaks to get working.

NHL Gamecenter VS Hockeystreams.com by the numbers:

At the end of the day, this one sort of depends on how technical you are.  If you’re keeping everything above board so to say, then NHL Gamcenter Live is your best bet. It is also worth noting that you can stream Hockeystreams via the Plex and Serviio app on both Xbox and Playstation.

Quality

There is a bit of controversy on this one. I personally love the quality of NHL Gamecenter on my Xbox One. On a good connection it looks just like 720p HDTV. Hockeystreams claims that it can go up to 720p at 60 frames per second while NHL Gamecenter is just 30 frames per second. But a few searches online and you quickly see a lot of posts by people complaining about the quality of some streams on Hockeystreams.com.

Lag

A major issue for live sports is the lag that the service introduces to the feed. I know for a fact that the NHL Gamecenter feed is usually off by a good 30 seconds.  Hockeystreams.com claims to only have a 3 second lag. This is really handy for folks that follow along with the games on social media as they happen and don’t want spoilers.

Access to games

A year subscription to Hockeystreams is actually a full calendar year, whereas the NHL Gamecenter one is just for the NHL season. Additionally, Hockeystreams gives access to other hockey leagues such as OHL, WHL and AHL if that’s your thing.

Cost

Here is the deciding factor for a lot of people.

Hockeystreams.com:  $99.99 for a full calendar year

NHL Gamecenter Live:  $149.99 for the regular NHL season ($179.99 Canadian)

Are you a Rogers internet customer in Canada?

Then NHL Gamecenter Live might be free! Check your internet package to see if it qualifies.

Legality

Keep in mind that NHL Gamecenter Live is the official video streaming app for the NHL. Hockeystreams.com on the other hand has…  let’s just say dubious legality. If you’re concerned about getting in any legal issues or losing the service due to the NHL cracking down on services like Hockeystreams, go with NHL Gamecenter Live.

NHL Gamecenter VS Hockeystreams wrap up

By pure numbers Hockeystreams.com wins out easily. However, the service is a little bit less “official” if you know what I mean.  It also doesn’t have as many official apps which makes the experience less smooth than if you are using Gamecenter Live on a streaming box. For those that are just utilizing a laptop then either one is great.

I highly recommend going with a service like UnblockUs if you are going the NHL Gamecenter Live route as it will unlock all of your local games.

Happy cord cutting!

Edit: I have updated the article based on some great individuals over on the /r/hockey subreddit.

Disclaimer:  Hockeystreams.com is not a legal service. Their servers are located in Europe so there is a chance that the service could be shut down anytime. Cord Breaker does not condone illegal activity in any way. When in doubt, go with the legal option, which is NHL Gamecenter Live. It really is a decent service for a fair price.

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