FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 17th, 2014

2014 SOCHI WINTER GAMES – FEB. 17 NBC PRIMETIME HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday in Primetime: American Skier Mikaela Shiffrin Makes Her Olympic Debut in Giant Slalom Gold Medal Final

Top American Skiers David Wise and Torin Yater-Wallace Compete in Men’s Halfpipe Gold Medal Final in Primetime on NBC 

Seven-Time X Games Champion Nate Holland Competes in Snowboard Cross Gold Medal Final

LIVE Tripleheader of Elimination Round Games in Men’s Hockey Begins at 3 a.m. ET on NBCSN, Highlighted by Russia vs. Norway at 7:30 a.m. ET and Czech Republic vs. Slovakia at Noon ET

All Events Live Streamed on NBCOlympics.com and NBC Sports Live Extra Mobile & Tablet App

Stamford, Conn. – February 17, 2014 – Highlights of Tuesday’s coverage of the XXII Olympic Winter Games:

  • NBC’s primetime presentation – which begins at 8/7c – features the giant slalom gold medal final in women’s alpine skiing, where 18-year-old American phenom Mikaela Shiffrin makes her Olympic debut, and the most decorated woman in U.S. Olympic alpine history, Julia Mancuso (who won this event in Torino) will also vie for a medal. In freestyle skiing, top Americans David Wise and Torin Yater-Wallace should contend for gold in the men’s halfpipe gold medal final, while two-time Olympian Nate Holland leads a deep U.S. snowboard cross team into Sochi, hoping to win a third consecutive U.S. gold medal in this event. Rounding out primetime on Tuesday is women’s bobsled featuring 2010 Olympic bronze medalist Elana Meyers and the 3000m relay gold medal final in women’s short track.
  • Tomorrow’s live coverage on NBCSN is highlighted by a tripleheader of elimination round games in men’s hockey, as Slovenia faces Austria at 3 a.m. ET, followed by Russia vs. Norway at 7:30 a.m. ET, and the Czech Republic vs. Slovakia at noon ET. NBCSN will also present the 15km mass start gold medal final in men’s biathlon at 5:30 a.m. ET, and live coverage of the 10,000m gold medal final in men’s speed skating.
  • MSNBC will also present live coverage of the elimination round in men’s hockey with Switzerland vs. Latvia at noon ET. CNBC’s curling coverage continues at 5 p.m. ET with a tie breaker between Norway and Great Britain.

 

NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports Live Extra app will live stream all events. Click here for listings for Tue., Feb. 18 and Wed., Feb. 19.

Following are highlights from today’s NBC coverage of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi:

Bob Costas introducing tonight’s primetime coverage: “Welcome to NBC’s primetime coverage on this Monday. I’m Bob Costas, sitting in for Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira.”

Costas addressing his return to primetime coverage after missing six days due to an eye infection: “Before we step aside for just a second here, my sincere thanks to Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira – two friends and true pros who stepped in for me on short notice. My thanks as well to all of you who expressed concern, and my apologies to everyone for the unavoidable but uncomfortable circumstance of a broadcaster’s ill-timed affliction getting in the way, even for just a few moments, of what we all came here for – the Olympic Games.”

Tracy Wilson on Tessa Virtue and David Moir in the free skate: “They wanted to create a moment for themselves…Tessa talked about being overwhelmed in Vancouver, and that it went by like a blur. Her goal here was to truly be in the moment, make the most of it and make it last.”

Wilson on Virtue and Moir: “If you were to take a picture, any time you clicked, you’d get perfect position – perfect detail…that performance was vintage Virtue and Moir.”

Wilson on Virtue and Moir potentially retiring after Olympics: “I’ve talked to these two this year and throughout the season they’ve said, ‘Well, our last Grand Prix Final, our last Canadian Championships,’ and though they have not confirmed it, I’m betting this will be their last competitive performance.”

Wilson on Meryl Davis and Charlie White following free skate, earning first-ever U.S. gold medal in ice dancing: “They make it look easy, but you can see just what they’ve given of themselves…absolutely so impressive how they are able to deliver time and time again.”

Wilson on the perception of Davis and White in skating world: “They are so respected by the skating community, because the community does appreciate just how difficult it is to do what they do.”

Wilson on the high level of competition, including rivalry between Virtue-Moir and Davis-White: “It makes the win that much sweeter – it was the best of the best. I don’t know that I’ve seen a better ice dance competition…ice dance – the big winner.”

Steven Holcomb following the bronze first medal win for U.S. in two-man bobsled since 1952: It’s overwhelming. This is the second 62-year drought we’ve broken [gold medal in four-man bobsled in 2010 Vancouver Games was first by Americans since 1948], so 62 is our number.”

ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

A division of the NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s Olympic coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history.

For more information about NBC Olympics coverage and NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

–NBC OLYMPICS–