FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 27th, 2015

DAY 43 – ANAHEIM DUCKS CAN ADVANCE TO STANLEY CUP FINAL WITH GAME 6 VICTORY OVER CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS TONIGHT ON NBCSN

Game 6 – Ducks-Blackhawks – Tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN – Ducks Lead 3-2

Tonight’s Coverage Begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Game 7 – Rangers Host Lightning on Friday Night at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Stanley Cup Final Berth at Stake

Conference Finals Viewership Up 10% vs. 2014

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 27, 2015 – Captain Ryan Getzlaf and the Anaheim Ducks can advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2007 with a Game 6 victory tonight, when they visit Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Tonight’s coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET with NHL Live, featuring host Liam McHugh alongside analysts and former players Mike Milbury, Keith Jones and Brian Boucher, leading into live game coverage from the United Center in Chicago, Ill. NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will provide streaming coverage of tonight’s Eastern Conference Final Game 6 matchup.

The Ducks took a 3-2 series lead with a 5-4 overtime victory in Anaheim on Monday night. The Ducks held a 3-0 lead after the first period, and led 4-2 with less than two minutes remaining, before Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews scored twice in 72 seconds to tie the game and force the second straight overtime game of the series. The extra session lasted just 45 seconds, as Anaheim’s Matt Beleskey scored on a rebound to clinch the victory and bring the Ducks within one win of the Stanley Cup Final. Three of the five games in the series have gone beyond regulation, including Game 2, which concluded late in the third overtime, and Game 4, which went into double overtime.

A win tonight for Anaheim would mark the Ducks’ first Stanley Cup Final berth since 2007, when they beat the Ottawa Senators in five games for their only Stanley Cup title. A Chicago victory would force a decisive Game 7 in Anaheim on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET.

Three-time Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator and Sports Illustrated 2014 Media Person of the Year Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member and analyst Eddie Olczyk, and Emmy Award-winning Inside-the-Glass analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call from United Center in Chicago, Ill.

 

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

 

THE PASS – WEDNESDAY, MAY 27 – FRIDAY, MAY 29 (All times ET)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27
7 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury,
Keith Jones, Brian Boucher
8 p.m. Game 6 – Anaheim at Chicago NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie
Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

***THURSDAY, MAY 28 – NO GAMES SCHEDULED***

FRIDAY, MAY 29
7 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury,
Keith Jones, Brian Boucher
8 p.m. Game 7 – Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie
Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

 


EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL GAME 7 – LIGHTNING-RANGERS – FRIDAY AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN – SERIES TIED 3-3

Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers host Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning in a decisive Game 7 matchup on Friday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final at stake. The Rangers forced Friday’s Game 7 with a 7-3 victory in Tampa in Game 6, as Derick Brassard recorded three goals and two assists in the win, marking the first Rangers’ postseason hat trick since 2007 (Michael Nylander). The Rangers are now 15-3 in their last 18 games in the postseason when facing elimination, and return to Madison Square Garden when they are a perfect 7-0 all-time in Game 7 matchups, including a 2-1 overtime win against Washington in the second round.

Tampa Bay’s most recent Game 7 matchup in the Eastern Conference Final came in 2011, when the Lightning fell to the Bruins by a score of 1-0 in Boston. The Rangers last played in an Eastern Conference Game 7 in 1994, when Stephane Matteau scored in double overtime to give New York a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.

Emrick, Olczyk and McGuire will call Friday night’s Lightning-Rangers Game 7 matchup from Madison Square Garden in New York.

 


CONFERENCE FINALS VIEWERSHIP UP 10% VS. 2014

Through the first nine games of the Conference Finals (May 24), NBC Sports Group’s coverage has averaged 1.906 million viewers, up 10% vs. viewership of the first nine games of the 2014 Conference Finals (1.739 million).

Saturday night’s Game 4 on NBC between the Ducks and the Blackhawks (8 p.m.-12:15 a.m. ET), which was decided in double overtime, delivered a 1.78 rating and averaged 2.801 million viewers, ranking as the highest-rated and most-watched game of the 2015 playoffs to date. Viewership peaked in the 11:30 p.m. ET quarter hour, averaging nearly 4.7 million viewers (4.655).

In addition, the game marked the highest-rated Conference Final matchup in two years, since the deciding Game 5 of the 2013 Western Conference Final between the Blackhawks and Kings (2.89). NBC led the night among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 18-34, adults 25-54 and most other key demos.

Locally, NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the Lightning-Rangers Eastern Conference Final has produced four of the Top 5 NHL ratings ever on NBC or NBCSN in the Tampa Bay market, highlighted by a record 8.65 rating in Game 2 on NBCSN. Through six games, the Tampa Bay market has averaged a 7.7 local rating, up 48% vs. the average rating in the Tampa Bay market for the 2011 Eastern Conference Final (5.2), which featured the Lightning and Bruins.

NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the Ducks-Blackhawks Western Conference Final has averaged a 2.8 rating in the Los Angeles market through five games, including the highest-rated Ducks game ever on NBCSN (Game 2; 3.1) and the highest-rated Ducks game on NBC since Game 5 of the 2007 Stanley Cup Final (Game 4; 3.2).

 


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 12
NBCSN 49
USA Network 8
CNBC 10
NHL-N 1
Total 80

 

One-goal Games: 43

OT games: 19

 


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 will provide the hometown fans of the Chicago Blackhawks with comprehensive coverage throughout their Stanley Cup Playoff run, 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.

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