NEW YORK, N.Y. – June 10, 2013 – Earlier today, NBC Sports Group’s top NHL game-announce team of Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) participated in a conference call to preview the 2013 Stanley Cup Final.
For a complete replay of the call, please dial 888-203-1112 and enter passcode: 3552673. A complete transcript will be available later on NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.
Following are highlights:
EMRICK ON THE ORIGINAL SIX MATCHUP: “The thrill of Original Six for those of us that really like the history is one thing, but having the two best goals-against-averages and save percentages in these two goaltenders…. and you throw in Original Six and wild fan bases that go over generations; this is going to be a thrill for us to just be a part of this and watch it all with you.”
OLCZYK ON THE BOSTON BRUINS-CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: “Considering where we were from six-and-a-half or seven months ago, to have two teams in two cities like Chicago and Boston in the Stanley Cup Final – enough said... I anticipate a low scoring series. These two teams really know how to defend. They have star power in every position, but I’m expecting defense to prevail in the series.”
MCGUIRE ON BOSTON BRUINS-CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: “Welcome to the Stanley Cup Final where there is no Cinderella. The two best teams are actually in the Stanley Cup Final… It’s going to be a matchup galore, it’s going to be coaching star power, player star power, awesome goaltending, physical confrontation, two electrifying buildings and cities - I can’t wait. Can we go now?”
EMRICK ON THE ORIGINAL SIX SIGNIFICANCE: “In these two cities in particular, they will appreciate the history. It’s passed down by generation. These fan bases are solid and have been... That’s an exciting thing to us that there is an appreciation for people who have played in the past.”
OLCZYK ON THE ORIGINAL SIX MATCHUP: “I was lucky enough to play in three different Original Six markets… You may be a fan of one of them and dislike the other, but that’s healthy, and that’s what makes rivalries and what the league has been built on. When you have two franchises that are the foundation of the National Hockey League and what it is today, the sports towns these teams play in, the passion of the fans, and the success that these teams and organizations have had recently, it is incredibly special that you can have two Original Six teams meeting in the Stanley Cup Final… The Original Six has a little extra pizazz to the Stanley Cup Final. These are the two best teams that have earned the opportunity to play for the greatest trophy in the world.”
For more on NBC Sports Group’s Stanley Cup Final coverage, please click here.