Any Canadian that's been abroad knows that's it's not always easy to get live streaming hockey outside of Canada. I was in the Czech Republic for a few years, and even there, it's a bit sketchy. Now I'm in China, and there's NO WAY. Anywhere outside the realm of the North, and you get a blank stare when you ask if they're going to be playing the game on the big screen in the bar.

Even some of your favorite streaming sites like CBC are blocked outside of Canada. This could be because of internet censorship, or web filters on the particular site you're trying to stream from. Through I can't convince the bar on the corner to get a satellite TV connection to stream the game for you and your buds, there is a way to stream Canadian Hockey abroad on your computer.

The best way of course is to stream the game just like you were in Canada. This is what VPNs are good for - virtually transporting your computer to another country.

VPNs are a type of software that's used to encrypt your online traffic and reroute it to a private server located somewhere in the world. Businesses, educational institutions, and military personnel use it to access local servers from remote locations.

This works to our advantage, because in accessing these private servers, we are assigned a 'virtual IP address' once we're signed into the network. This IP address reflects the country we're in. If you find some VPN servers in Canada, you can get a Canadian IP address. With a Canadian IP address, you browse and stream from the internet just like you were in Canada. Website and other users will also think you're in Canada.

So where do you get hooked up to a VPN server in Canada?

Luckily, you don't need any extra hardware to start streaming directly from Canada. There are things called VPN routers which can be used to change the IP of an internet TV or gaming console, but for your smartphone or computer, you don't need anything but a subscription to a VPN service.

VPN services will typically cost you about ten USD per month, but prices vary based on how long you sign up for and which servers you want to access. Many services offer access to Canadian VPN servers, but not all.

Once you've chosen a service, simply download the software provided, and sign into a server in Canada. There may be different city options, or one umbrella heading of 'Canada'. After signing in, you'll have a Canadian IP, and be able to stream hockey outside of Canada from your favorite sites. To change back to a local IP, just sign our of the VPN server.