FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 28th, 2015

NBC SPORTS GROUP PRESENTS DECISIVE GAME 7 NHL CONFERENCE FINAL MATCHUPS THIS WEEKEND ON NBCSN AND NBC

Eastern Conference Final Game 7 – Lightning-Rangers – Friday at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Western Conference Final Game 7 – Blackhawks-Ducks – Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk and Pierre McGuire Travel Coast-To-Coast to Call Back-To-Back Game 7’s

Game 6 Ducks-Blackhawks Delivers Ratings Milestone in Chicago

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 28, 2015 – NBC Sports Group presents back-to-back do-or-die Game 7 matchups in the NHL Conference Finals this weekend with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final hanging in the balance. Coverage begins tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN when Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers host Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.

NBC presents live coverage of Game 7 of the Western Conference Final on Saturday night in primetime at 8 p.m. ET, when Ryan Getzlaf and the Anaheim Ducks host Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks. NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will provide streaming coverage of both Game 7s.

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 of both Game 7 matchups.

Pre-game coverage of both Game 7 matchups begins at 7 p.m. ET on Friday and Saturday nights with NHL Live, featuring host Liam McHugh alongside analysts and former players Mike Milbury, Keith Jones and Brian Boucher.

This marks the first time in 15 years, and only the third time in Stanley Cup Playoff history, that both Conference Finals have required a Game 7. In 2000, the New Jersey Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 2-1 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final, while the Dallas Stars earned a 3-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final.

The Rangers forced Friday night’s Game 7 with a 7-3 victory in Tampa in Game 6, and return to Madison Square Garden with 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 Eastern Conference Final Game 7 appearance 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 Final Game 7 in 1994, when Stephane Matteau scored in double overtime to give New York a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.

The Blackhawks forced Saturday night’s primetime Western Conference Final Game 7 showdown on NBC with a 5-2 win in Game 6 on Thursday night. This marks the second straight Western Conference Final Game 7 for the Blackhawks, who lost 5-4 in overtime to the Los Angeles Kings in last year’s’ Game 7. The Ducks have never played in a Western Conference Final Game 7.

 

MIKE ‘DOC’ EMRICK, EDDIE OLCZYK AND PIERRE MCGUIRE TRAVEL COAST-TO-COAST TO CALL BACK-TO-BACK GAME 7s

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, and Pierre McGuire will travel coast-to-coast to call the Eastern Conference Final Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night and the Western Conference Final Game 7 at Honda Center on Saturday night.

Following the Lightning-Rangers game, the trio will depart for their respective hotels to get some brief sleep before getting up to board a 6 a.m. ET, 2,500-mile flight from Newark to LAX.

Doc, Edzo and Pierre will arrive at LAX at 9:08 a.m. PT and will check into their second hotel of the day. Their pre-game schedules may include attending practice, catching a nap, and getting a meal or two before calling their second Game 7 in 24 hours at Honda Center.

After Blackhawks-Ducks, it’s red eyes and morning flights to their respective homes to rest up for a few days before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday. Whew!

 

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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 – THURSDAY, MAY 28 – SATURDAY, MAY 30 (All times ET)

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

FRIDAY, MAY 29
Time Coverage Network Commentators
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

SATURDAY, MAY 30
7 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury,
Keith Jones, Brian Boucher
8 p.m. Game 7 – Chicago at Anaheim NBC Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie
Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

 


GAME 6 DUCKS-BLACKHAWKS DELIVERS CHICAGO’S BEST RATING OF 2015 PLAYOFFS

The Blackhawks’ 5-2 win over the Ducks in last night’s Game 6 on NBCSN delivered a 16.6 rating in Chicago, which stands as the best rating in Chicago on NBC or NBCSN in the 2015 playoffs, and ranks as the second-highest rating for a Conference Final game in Chicago on NBCSN, behind last year’s Game 7 vs. Los Angeles (22.7).

Nationally, last night’s Game 6 on NBCSN delivered a 1.88 overnight rating, which stands as NBCSN’s best overnight rating of the Conference Finals, and the second-best overnight rating of the 2015 postseason on NBCSN behind Game 7 of the Capitals-Rangers second-round series (2.30).

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 50
USA Network 8
CNBC 10
NHL-N 1
Total 81

 

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.

— NBC Sports Group —