FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 28th, 2016

ALEX OVECHKIN AND THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS. SIDNEY CROSBY AND THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – GAME 1 TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Ovechkin & Crosby Clash In Stanley Cup Playoffs For First Time Since 2009

NBC Sports Group’s Exclusivity Begins in Second Round; Game Schedule and Commentators Announced Through Game 4 

Game 1 Western Conference Doubleheader Tomorrow on NBCSN – Blues-Stars at 8 p.m. ET, Followed by Predators-Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 28, 2016 – Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby go head-to-head in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2009 tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, when the (1) Washington Capitals host the (2) Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 of their Second Round series.

Kenny Albert (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member and analyst Eddie Olczyk, and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will call tonight’s Penguins-Capitals Game 1 matchup from Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

Coverage on NBCSN begins at 7 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh alongside analysts and former players Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick.

 

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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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THE PASS – THURSDAY, APRIL 28 (All times ET)

THURSDAY, APRIL 28

Time Coverage Network Commentators
7 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury,
Jeremy Roenick
8 p.m. Game 1 – (2) Pittsburgh at (1) Washington NBCSN Kenny Albert, Eddie
Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

 

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.


GAME 1 – (2) PENGUINS AT (1) CAPITALS – TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

This marks the first playoff meeting between the Penguins and Capitals since 2009, when Pittsburgh trailed Washington 0-2 in the Eastern Conference Semifinal, but rallied to win the series in seven games. The Penguins are 7-1 all-time in playoff series against the Capitals, with their lone loss coming during the 1994 Playoffs.

The Penguins defeated the Rangers in five games to advance to the Second Round this season, capping the series with a convincing 6-3 win in Pittsburgh. The Capitals handled the Flyers in six games in their first-round series, in which Braden Holtby allowed just five goals.

Crosby and Ovechkin’s only playoff encounter came during the 2009 playoffs, and both players produced in the series; Ovechkin recorded eight goals and six assists, while Crosby posted eight goals and five assists. Pittsburgh won the decisive Game 7 by a score of 6-2, as Crosby netted two power play goals in the win.

CROSBY VS. OVECHKIN – TALE OF THE TAPE

Sidney Crosby Career Stats Alex Ovechkin
707 Games Played 839
338 Goals 525
600 Assists 441
938 Points 966
1.33 Points Per Game 1.15
2 MVP Awards 3
2 Art Ross Trophies 1
1 Maurice Richard Trophies 6 (4 straight)
105 Playoff Games Played 78
126 Playoff Points 75
12 Playoff Series Won 5
1 Stanley Cups 0

 


SECOND-ROUND SCHEDULE AND COMMENTATORS ANNOUNCED THROUGH GAME 4

Following is NBC Sports Group’s telecast and game commentator schedule through Friday, May 6 – all times ET and subject to change:

THURSDAY, APRIL 28

8 p.m. Game 1 – (2) Pittsburgh at (1) Washington NBCSN Kenny Albert, Eddie Olczyk,
Pierre McGuire

FRIDAY, APRIL 29

8 p.m. Game 1 – (2) St. Louis at (1) Dallas NBCSN John Forslund,
Pierre McGuire
10:30 p.m. Game 1 – (WC1) Nashville at (3) San Jose NBCSN Chris Cuthbert,
Joe Micheletti

SATURDAY, APRIL 30

3 p.m. Game 2 – (WC1) N.Y. Islanders at (2) Tampa Bay NBC Kenny Albert,
Brian Boucher
8 p.m. Game 2 – (2) Pittsburgh at (1) Washington NBC Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie
Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

SUNDAY, MAY 1

3 p.m. Game 2 – (2) St. Louis at (1) Dallas NBC John Forslund,
Pierre McGuire
8 p.m. Game 2 – (WC1) Nashville at (3) San Jose NBCSN Chris Cuthbert,
Joe Micheletti

MONDAY, MAY 2

8 p.m. Game 3 – (1) Washington at (2) Pittsburgh NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie
Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

TUESDAY, MAY 3

7 p.m. Game 3 – (2) Tampa Bay at (WC1) N.Y. Islanders NBCSN Kenny Albert,
Brian Boucher
9 p.m. Game 3 – (3) San Jose at (WC1) Nashville USA Network Chris Cuthbert,
Joe Micheletti
9:30 p.m. Game 3 – (1) Dallas at (2) St. Louis NBCSN John Forslund,
Pierre McGuire

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4

8 p.m. Game 4 – (1) Washington at (2) Pittsburgh NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie
Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

THURSDAY, MAY 5

8 p.m. Game 4 – (1) Dallas at (2) St. Louis NBCSN John Forslund,
Pierre McGuire
9 p.m. Game 4 – (3) San Jose at (WC1) Nashville CNBC Chris Cuthbert,
Joe Micheletti

FRIDAY, MAY 6

7 p.m. Game 4 – (2) Tampa Bay at (WC1) N.Y. Islanders NBCSN Kenny Albert,
Brian Boucher

 

GAMES TELEVISED SO FAR

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

 

Network Games
NBC 6
NBCSN 25
USA Network 5
CNBC 10
NHL Network 2
Total 48

 

One-goal Games: 27

OT games: 7

 

COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE

Through the NBC Sports Regional Networks, comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided daily via NBC Sports Regional Networks, available in more than 43 million U.S. households. NBC Sports Regional Networks serve the hometown fans of the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals, delivering extensive pre- and post-game coverage as well as breaking news and analysis throughout both teams’ playoff runs.


NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
COVERAGE

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will stream 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff coverage 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, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.

 

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–