FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 5th, 2015
DAYS 52-54 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING HOST CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS IN GAME 2 OF STANLEY CUP FINAL TOMORROW NIGHT ON NBC
Coverage Begins on NBC on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. ET, Immediately Following 147th Belmont Stakes Coverage
Blackhawks Lead Series 1-0 Following Come-From-Behind Victory in Game 1
Wednesday Night’s Blackhawks-Lightning Game on NBC is Most-Watched Stanley Cup Final Non-OT Game 1 in 18 Years
NBCSN Premieres Center of Attention: The Unreal Life of Derek Sanderson Monday, June 8 Following Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final
STAMFORD, Conn. – June 5, 2014 – Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning look to draw even tomorrow night in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, when they host Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:15 p.m. ET on NBC. NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will provide comprehensive streaming coverage of Game 2.
Coverage of Game 2 begins tomorrow night on NBC immediately following the network’s coverage of the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes, as American Pharoah tries to become the first horse to complete the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. The Belmont Stakes and Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final highlight this weekend’s high-profile “NBC Sports Championship Season” events on NBC and NBCSN.
Three-time Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator and Sports Illustrated 2014 Media Person of the Year Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick and Emmy Award-winning “Inside the Glass” analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call of Game 2 from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. Analyst Eddie Olczyk will not call Game 2 as he will be working on NBC’s Belmont Stakes coverage. Host Liam McHugh and analysts Mike Milbury, Jeremy Roenick and Keith Jones will anchor NBC Sports Group’s intermission and post-game coverage.
GAME 1 – BLACKHAWKS DEFEAT LIGHTNING 2-1
Chicago stunned Tampa Bay on Wednesday night with a 2-1 come-from-behind win in Game 1, as the Blackhawks netted a pair of goals in a 1:58 span late in the third period en route to victory. Blackhawks 20-year-old rookie Teuvo Teravainen scored with 6:32 remaining in the third period to tie the game at one, and assisted on Antoine Vermette’s go-ahead goal with 4:34 left in regulation. Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford stopped 22 of 23 shots in the win, including a save on Lightning forward Ryan Callahan’s breakaway attempt moments prior to Teravainen’s tying goal.
Chicago’s Game 1 win on Wednesday night marked the Blackhawks’ third consecutive one-goal Game 1 in the Stanley Cup Final. The Blackhawks defeated the Flyers 6-5 in Game 1 of the 2010 Final, and beat the Bruins 4-3 in triple overtime of Game 1 in 2013.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S BLACKHAWKS-LIGHTNING GAME POSTS BEST STANLEY CUP FINAL NON-OT GAME 1 OVERNIGHT IN 18 YEARS
Game 1 of Blackhawks-Lightning on NBC was the most-watched Game 1 that did not require overtime in 18 years, and NBC’s second-most watched Stanley Cup Final Game 1 ever, producing a 3.34 HH rating and averaging 5.547 million viewers.
Game 1 viewership was up 16% compared to last year’s Rangers-Kings Game 1 (4.785 million), which the Kings won by a score of 3-2 in overtime. The only Game 1 on NBC to surpass last night’s viewership was the triple-overtime thriller between the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks in 2013, which averaged 6.315 million viewers. Viewership of Wednesday night’s game peaked at 6.433 million viewers from 10:30-10:45 p.m. ET.
PRIMETIME
Game 1 was a winner for NBC. The network won the night with a 1.8 rating in the A18-49 demo, up 38% over its nearest competitor (FOX, 1.3). NBC ranked No. 1 from 8-11 p.m. ET among all broadcast and cable networks in A18-34, A18-49 and A25-54.
LOCAL
Chicago delivered a 28.0 metered market rating, its third-highest ever for a Blackhawks game on NBC, trailing only the Stanley Cup Final-clinching Game 6 matchups in 2013 and 2010. Wednesday’s Game 1 rating was up 12% vs. Game 1 in 2013 (25.1), and up 66% vs. Game 1 in 2010 (16.9).
Tampa drew a 17.9 rating, the highest rating ever in the market for a Lightning game on any NBC network, up 50% vs. last Friday’s Eastern Conference Final Game 7 against the New York Rangers on NBCSN (11.9), and up 47% vs. Game 1 of the Lightning’s last SCF appearance in 2004 against Calgary (ESPN; 12.2).
Click here for complete ratings information on Wednesday night’s Game 1.
NBCSN PREMIERES CENTER OF ATTENTION: THE UNREAL LIFE OF DEREK SANDERSON MONDAY, JUNE 8 FOLLOWING GAME 3 OF STANLEY CUP FINAL
NBCSN will premiere Center of Attention: The Unreal Life of Derek Sanderson, a one-hour documentary that chronicles the remarkable life of former NHL star and two-time Stanley Cup Champion Derek Sanderson, on Monday, June 8, following Game 3 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.
Click here to watch a preview.
Narrated by Boston native, Primetime Emmy Award-nominee and star of Mad Men John Slattery, Center of Attention follows Sanderson’s journey from humble beginnings, to becoming the highest paid athlete of his time, only to eventually end up homeless, broke and addicted to drugs and alcohol. Through interviews with former teammates, coaches, friends, rivals, and Sanderson himself, viewers get an inside look into his eccentric and reckless life that ultimately features a fourth act fitting of a Hollywood screenplay, as Sanderson is able to get clean and become a respected financial adviser for top athletes.
Center of Attention features interviews with eight members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, including Sanderson’s teammates Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Rod Gilbert, Gerry Cheevers, Brad Park, Bernie Parent and coaches Harry Sinden and Emile Francis.
Click here for more information on Center of Attention: The Unreal Life of Derek Sanderson
Following is the television schedule for the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, all times Eastern and subject to change.
|
DATE |
GAME |
NETWORK |
TIME |
COMMENTATORS |
|
Sat., June 6 |
Game 2 – Chicago at Tampa Bay |
NBC |
7:15 p.m. ^ |
Mike “Doc” Emrick, |
|
Mon., June 8 |
Game 3 – Tampa Bay at Chicago |
NBCSN |
8 p.m. |
Mike “Doc” Emrick, |
|
Wed., June 10 |
Game 4 – Tampa Bay at Chicago |
NBCSN |
8 p.m. |
Mike “Doc” Emrick, |
|
Sat., June 13 |
Game 5 – Chicago at Tampa Bay** |
NBC |
8 p.m. |
Mike “Doc” Emrick, |
|
Mon., June 15 |
Game 6 – Tampa Bay at Chicago** |
NBC |
8 p.m. |
Mike “Doc” Emrick, |
|
Wed., June 17 |
Game 7 – Chicago at Tampa Bay** |
NBC |
8 p.m. |
Mike “Doc” Emrick, |
^Game 2 coverage begins immediately following NBC Sports’ coverage of the Belmont Stakes
*Eddie Olczyk is not available for Game 2 due to obligations working for NBC Sports’ coverage of the Belmont Stakes
**if necessary
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 |
14 |
|
NBCSN |
51 |
|
USA Network |
8 |
|
CNBC |
10 |
|
NHL-N |
1 |
|
Total |
84 |
One-goal Games: 44
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 the Stanley Cup Final 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–
