FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 15th, 2014

ZACH PARISE AND MINNESOTA WILD HOST PATRICE BERGERON AND BOSTON BRUINS ON NBCSN’S “WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY”

Bruins-Wild on Wednesday Night Rivalry – Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Coverage Begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET; Pierre McGuire Interviews Wild Forward Zach Parise

“It’s a bond we have. The relationship we have between us is really special because of hockey.” – Zach Parise on relationship with his father

Division Leaders Clash as Pittsburgh Penguins Host Tampa Bay Lightning Tonight at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN

NBC Sports Group 2015 NHL Winter Classic Conference Call – Emrick, Olczyk, McGuire, Flood – Thursday, Dec. 18 at 4 P.M. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 15, 2014 – NBCSN’s coverage of the 2014-15 NHL regular season continues with an interconference matchup on Wednesday Night Rivalry, as Zach Parise and the Minnesota Wild host Patrice Bergeron and the Boston Bruins Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. Pre-game coverage begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET, highlighted by a sit-down interview with Pierre McGuire and Zach Parise.

This week’s NHL coverage begins tonight at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN with a pair of division leaders, as Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning face Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins with first place in the Eastern Conference at stake.

NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will provide live coverage of this week’s Bruins-Wild and Lightning-Penguins matchups.

This week’s NHL pre-game coverage on NBCSN begins tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET with NHL Live. Kathryn Tappen anchors tonight’s studio coverage with analysts Jeremy Roenick and Keith Jones. Liam McHugh hosts Wednesday night’s coverage alongside analysts Mike Milbury and Jones and NHL insider Darren Dreger.

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NBC SPORTS GROUP 2015 NHL WINTER CLASSIC CONFERENCE CALL – THURSDAY, DEC. 18 AT 4 P.M. ET

NBC Sports Group’s lead NHL broadcast team of Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside the Glass’ Analyst), as well as executive producer Sam Flood, will preview the upcoming 2015 NHL Winter Classic, featuring the Chicago Blackhawks and the Washington Capitals, on a media conference call Thursday, Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. ET. Media interested in participating should call 719-325-2455; Passcode: 2938268.

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WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY: BRUINS-WILD – WEDNESDAY AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

This week’s matchup on Wednesday Night Rivalry is the second meeting of the season between the Bruins and Wild. On October 28, Parise led Minnesota’s third-period comeback in Boston, scoring the first of the Wild’s three third-period goals in a 4-3 win.

Minnesota has dominated Boston since the Wild entered the league in 2000, holding a 12-2-1 advantage in the all-time series. Parise has notched nine points (3g/6a) in his last seven games, including the game-tying goal and a shootout marker in Minnesota’s 4-3 shootout win on Saturday night. The Bruins enter this week’s action following a 3-2 shootout loss to Ottawa on Saturday afternoon. Boston faces Nashville tomorrow night, while Minnesota will be in Chicago to face the Blackhawks.

Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, analyst Eddie Olczyk, and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call from Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

ZACH PARISE WITH PIERRE MCGUIRE

NBCSN’s Wednesday night edition of NHL Live features a sit-down interview with Pierre McGuire and Wild forward and Minnesota native Zach Parise. During the interview, Parise discusses his decision to return home by signing with Minnesota in 2012, and his close bond with father and former Minnesota North Star forward J.P. Parise, who is currently battling Stage 4 lung cancer. If used, please note the mandatory credit: “In an exclusive interview airing Wednesday night on NHL Live on NBCSN.”

Parise on impact of father and NHL-er J.P. Parise: “Growing up in that hockey household and atmosphere, and understanding what my dad did when he was playing, I didn’t want to do anything else. I was committed to making it.”

Parise on decision to leave New Jersey Devils and sign with Minnesota: “It was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. I loved it there, so it was tough to make that decision. You need time to step away to look at what’s important, and what makes you happy. That’s what it came down to. I thought (my dad) was about to jump through the phone when I called him. He never told me where to go. He said, ‘There’s one time in your life you have to be selfish, and it’s right now. Do what you want to do and what’s going to make you guys happy.’”

Parise on impact of being home during his father’s battle with cancer: “With him getting sick, how tough it’s been on him and my mom, for him to get a chance to see his grandkids has been really important for us. If we were gone, him not having the opportunity to see his grandkids would have been really tough. It’s something that never really leaves my mind.

Parise on role hockey plays in his relationship with his father: Coming to the rink is my escape, but at the same time, it’s a bond we have. The relationship we have between us is really special because of hockey, so I start to think about that too when I’m at the rink. It just makes me appreciate a lot of the things we share and a lot of the things we’ve done. Hopefully everything is going to turn out fine.”


LIGHTNING-PENGUINS – TONIGHT AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The top two teams in the Eastern Conference take center stage on NBCSN tonight, when the Penguins host the Lightning. Tampa Bay (41 pts, 19-9-3) leads the NHL in goals scored (104), while Pittsburgh is tied for third in the league with 92 goals. Steven Stamkos ranks in the NHL’s top five in points (34) and goals (17), as does Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin with 36 points and 15 goals.

Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (Inside-the-Glass analyst) will provide live commentary from CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Note: Tonight’s Lightning-Penguins game is subject to local blackouts.

 

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Mon., December 15 NHL Live NBCSN 6:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh NBCSN 7 p.m.
Wed., December 17 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m.
Wednesday Night Rivalry – Boston at Minnesota NBCSN 8 p.m.

 

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