FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 8th, 2015

DAYS 24-26 – PRESIDENTS’ TROPHY WINNER NEW YORK RANGERS FACE ELIMINATION TONIGHT AGAINST WASHINGTON CAPITALS AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Game 5 – (2) Capitals-(1) Rangers – Capitals Lead 3-1 – Tonight at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Game 4 – (1) Ducks-(3) Flames – Ducks Lead 2-1 – Tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

(2) Lightning Visit (1) Canadiens in Game 5 Saturday Night at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN; Sunday’s Game Schedule TBD

Blackhawks-Wild Game 4 is Most-Streamed NHL Game on NBC Sports Live Extra This Season

IIHF World Hockey Championship Coverage Continues Sunday – Team USA vs. Slovenia at 3 p.m. ET

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 8, 2015 – Henrik Lundqvist and the (1) New York Rangers, who earned this year’s Presidents’ Trophy with the NHL’s best regular-season record, look to avoid elimination tonight when they host Alex Ovechkin and the (2) Washington Capitals in Game 5 of their series at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, the first of two Stanley Cup Playoff games tonight on NBCSN.

Coverage shifts to the Western Conference at 9:30 p.m. ET, when Johnny Gaudreau and the (3) Calgary Flames look to even their series against Ryan Getzlaf and the (1) Anaheim Ducks with a Game 4 victory.

Pre-game coverage begins on NBCSN at 6 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh, with analysts and former players Jeremy Roenick and Keith Jones.

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“NHL Playoff Pass” on NBC Sports Group Press Box provides a quick daily overview of Stanley Cup Playoff coverage, plus information and highlights. The Pass will be published weekdays to preview that evening’s games. Friday editions will include weekend information.

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All Stanley Cup Playoff games will be presented on NBC, NBCSN, USA Network, CNBC and NHL Network. NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will provide streaming coverage of games airing on NBC, NBCSN, USA Network and CNBC via “TV Everywhere.”

For more information on NBC Sports Group’s overall NHL Playoff coverage, please click here.

 

THE PASS – FRIDAY, MAY 8-SUNDAY, MAY 10 (All times ET)

FRIDAY, MAY 8

Time Coverage Network Commentators
6 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Jeremy
Roenick, Keith Jones
7 p.m. Game 5 – (2) Washington at (1) N.Y. Rangers NBCSN John Forslund,
Pierre McGuire
9:30 p.m. Game 4 – (1) Anaheim at (3) Calgary NBCSN Dave Strader,
Brian Engblom

SATURDAY, MAY 9

6 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Mike
Milbury, Jeremy Roenick
7 p.m. Game 5 – (2) Tampa Bay at (1) Montreal NBCSN Kenny Albert,
Joe Micheletti

SUNDAY, MAY 10

TBD NHL Live NBCSN Kathryn Tappen, Mike
Milbury, Keith Jones
TBD Game 5 – (3) Calgary at (1) Anaheim NBCSN Dave Strader,
Brian Engblom
TBD Game 6* – (1) N.Y. Rangers at (2) Washington NBCSN TBD

 *if necessary

 

TONIGHT, MAY 8

GAME 5 – (2) CAPITALS-(1) RANGERS – TONIGHT AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN – CAPITALS LEAD 3-1

The Capitals travel to New York tonight with a 3-1 series lead in hand as they try to close out the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Washington won Games 3 and 4 at home to build their series lead, including a 2-1 win on Wednesday night. Goaltender Braden Holtby has starred in net for Washington, allowing just five goals over the first four games of this series.

The Rangers hope to draw upon last season’s postseason experience to stay alive against the Capitals. Last year, the Rangers trailed the Penguins 3-1 in their second-round series before rattling off three straight wins, including two wins in Pittsburgh, to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. New York is 11-3 when facing elimination since the 2011-12 season, and has not lost a home game when facing elimination since 2007.

John Forslund (play-by-play) and Emmy Award-winning Inside-the-Glass analyst Pierre McGuire will call the action from Madison Square Garden in New York.

 


GAME 4 – (1) DUCKS-(3) FLAMES – TONIGHT AT 9:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN – DUCKS LEAD 2-1

The Flames look to build off of their dramatic Game 3 win and even their series with the Ducks tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Calgary earned a key 4-3 overtime win on Tuesday night, as rookie phenom Johnny Gaudreau scored with 19.5 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, and Mikael Backlund scored in overtime to give the Flames the Game 3 victory. Gaudreau leads the Flames or is tied for the team lead in goals (3), points (7) and power play points (5) through nine games in the playoffs.

Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (Inside-the-Glass analyst) will call the action from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alta.
SATURDAY, MAY 9

GAME 5 – (2) LIGHTNING-(1) CANADIENS – SATURDAY AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN – LIGHTNING LEAD 3-1

The (1) Montreal Canadiens return home and look to extend their series against the (2) Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The Canadiens avoided a sweep on Thursday night with a convincing 6-2 win in Game 4 in Tampa. Six different skaters scored for Montreal, including a goal and two assists from Max Pacioretty, as the Canadiens sent goaltender Ben Bishop to the bench in favor of backup Andrei Vasilevskiy after three early goals.

Thursday’s win marked Montreal’s first victory over Tampa Bay this season, following eight straight combined regular-season and playoff defeats against the Lightning.

Kenny Albert (play-by-play) and Joe Micheletti (Inside-the-Glass analyst) will have the call from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Que.
SUNDAY, MAY 10

Sunday’s NHL playoff action on NBCSN will be finalized following tonight’s Rangers-Capitals Game 5 matchup. The Ducks will host the Flames in Game 5 on NBCSN (time TBD), while the Capitals will host the Rangers in Game 6, if necessary, on NBCSN (time TBD).

 


BLACKHAWKS-WILD GAME 4 IS MOST-STREAMED NHL GAME ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA THIS SEASON

With 4 million live minutes streamed, last night’s Blackhawks-Wild game ranks as the most-streamed NHL game on NBC Sports Live Extra this season. The game peaked at over 45,000 uniques (45,607) in the 10 p.m. hour.

To date, the full NHL Playoffs on Live Extra have totaled 797,000 uniques (+9% from same time period in 2014) and 101 million minutes watched (+29%).

 


IIHF WORLD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE CONTINUES SUNDAY – TEAM USA VS. SLOVENIA AT 3 P.M. ET

NBCSN’s coverage of the IIHF World Hockey Championship continues Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, when Jack Eichel and Team USA face Slovenia in preliminary-round action. Team USA boasts a 3-1-0-0 record so far in the tournament, which includes a 4-2 victory over defending-champion Russia, heading into today’s matchup against Denmark.

 

 

GAMES TELEVISED SO FAR

For the fourth consecutive year, NBC, NBCSN, USA Network, CNBC and NHL Network are combining to televise every Stanley Cup Playoff game nationally.

 

Network Games
NBC 9
NBCSN 34
USA Network 8
CNBC 10
NHL-N 1
Total 60

 

One-goal Games: 32

OT games: 12

 


COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE

Comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided daily via NBC Sports Regional Networks, available in more than 50 million U.S. households. Comcast SportsNet Chicago and Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic will provide the hometown fans of the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals, respectively, with comprehensive coverage throughout their teams’ Stanley Cup Playoff runs, including pre- and post-game shows and extensive on-line coverage via Comcast SportsNet’s team of NHL Insiders.


NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
COVERAGE

NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will stream comprehensive coverage of games airing on NBC, NBCSN, USA Network and CNBC via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play and Windows Store.

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

— NBC Sports Group —