FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 21st, 2014

2014 SOCHI WINTER GAMES – FEB. 21 NBCSN HIGHLIGHTS

Tonight at 8/7c on NBC: Phenom Mikaela Shiffrin Goes for Gold in Women’s Slalom Gold Medal Final

J.R. Celski Aims to Qualify for Gold Medal Finals in 500m and 5000m Relay, Shani Davis Skates in Team Pursuit Semifinals

Team USA Faces Finland for Bronze Medal in Men’s Hockey Saturday at 10 a.m. ET LIVE on NBCSN

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

Stamford, Conn. – February 21, 2014 – Coming up on NBC Olympics’ coverage of the XXII Olympic Winter Games:

  • Tonight at 8/7c on NBC, reigning world slalom champion and 18-year-old phenom Mikaela Shiffrin looks to top the podium in the women’s slalom gold medal final, J.R. Celski aims to qualify for gold medal finals in the 500m and 5000m relay in men’s short track, and Shani Davis leads the Americans in the team pursuit semifinals in men’s figure skating. NBC’s primetime coverage is rounded out by the 1000m gold medal final in women’s short track.
  • Tomorrow’s live coverage on NBCSN is highlighted by the bronze medal game in men’s hockey between Team USA and Finland at 10 a.m. ET. Coverage on NBCSN begins with men’s and women’s parallel competitions in snowboarding at 3 a.m. ET, followed by live coverage of the 30km freestyle gold medal final in women’s cross-country, as well as the gold medal finals in the men’s and women’s snowboarding parallel slalom competitions. NBCSN’s coverage is rounded out by the figure skating gala at 12:30 p.m. ET, following the U.S.-Finland bronze medal game.

 

FOLLOWING ARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM TODAY’S NBCSN COVERAGE OF THE 2014 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN SOCHI:

Jeremy Roenick on U.S.-Canada hockey rivalry: “Familiarity breeds hatred, and I know there’s hatred between the U.S. and Canada, and it’s probably at its all-time peak…I was talking to a couple of players yesterday…they’re sick and tired of seeing [Canada] on the medal stand…the United States believes it’s time to take over and become that world power.”

Mike Milbury on Canada’s 1-0 win over Team USA: “I thought it was a dominant 1-0 game, if you can call it that. I thought Canada controlled the pace of the play, I thought their defense was outstanding…there was never a real threat from Team USA in the third period.”

Eddie Olczyk on Canada’s puck possession: “Since that first period, Canada has held the play. They’ve had more sustained pressure, they’ve forced Team USA to defend…both of these teams have the ability to possess the puck…the team in red has forced the team in white to play without the puck a lot more in this game.”

Roenick on the goaltending display in Canada’s 1-0 win: “Both goaltenders were absolutely spectacular. Carey Price looked so calm and comfortable, and Jonathan Quick made acrobatic save after acrobatic save. It was truly impressive goaltending.”

Milbury on Canada finding its stride against Team USA: “All tournament long, we’ve been talking about how surprising it was to see Team USA get it together so quickly. Team Canada seemed to struggle with that, except tonight. Tonight the package came together tightly wrapped, and it was tough for Team USA to handle.”

Roenick on Canadian goaltender Carey Price: “Coming into the tournament, everybody questioned their goaltending – that was going to be the one weakness Team Canada was going to have. Well, Carey Price put an end to those worries…he controlled the puck, whether he swallowed it up, or moved it to the corner, he gave his defense a lot of options and lot of ease in front of that net.”

Milbury on Team USA chances at bronze medal against Finland (live coverage begins Saturday at 10 a.m. ET on NBCSN): “They’ve got to bounce back from the disappointment of not playing in the gold medal game. They were beaten tonight, and that’s a tough feeling to accept, but you’ve got to get back on the horse and go after the bronze.”

Milbury on Finland’s chances of success without goaltender Tuukka Rask: “The sudden, unexpected loss of Tuukka Rask has really come back to sting Finland. Without (Kari) Lehtonen being on his game, it’s a tough task for this Finnish team.”

Chad Salmela on Ukraine cementing its first-ever gold medal in biathlon during the women’s 4×6 relay: “Ukrainians in such need of something to lift their spirits, and this is really going to do it.”

Steve Schlanger on impact of Ukraine’s gold medal in biathlon: “Some of these Athletes from the Ukraine have been talking about the civil unrest going on back home, just a few hundred miles from here. We are in the mountains above Sochi, and some athletes have already gone home, back to Ukraine. Sport doesn’t make up for moments like that in your home country, but at least it’s a momentary lift. It’s a prideful occasion, and for Ukraine it will be their second biathlon medal at these winter games here in Russia.”

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