FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017
NBC SPORTS GROUP BEGINS 2017 WITH 25 HOCKEY TELECASTS IN 28 DAYS
NBC Sports Group Presents Winter and Centennial Classics, Wednesday Night Rivalry, Star Sundays and NHL All-Star Weekend in January 2017
This Week’s Coverage Highlighted by Rangers-Flyers Tomorrow Night on NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Rivalry at 8 p.m. ET
NBCSN Launches Star Sundays on Jan. 8 with Wild-Ducks at 8 p.m. ET; NHL Sunday Shootout Returns Following Wild-Ducks
NHL Doubleheader Tonight on NBCSN – Sabres-Rangers at 7 p.m. ET, Followed by Kings-Sharks at 10 p.m. ET
College Hockey Doubleheader – Michigan Tech at No. 12 Notre Dame – Friday and Saturday on NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – January 3, 2017 – Highlighted by the iconic Winter and Centennial Classics on NBC to ring in the new year, NBC Sports Group is slated to present 25 hockey telecasts in 28 days – nearly one per day – to begin the 2017 calendar year.
NBC Sports Group’s super-serving to hockey fans this month features more than half of the teams in the NHL, includes weekly Wednesday Night Rivalry matchups, as well as the introduction of Star Sundays on NBCSN, and culminates with NHL All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles with the 2017 NHL All-Star Game on NBC.
This week’s NHL coverage is highlighted Claude Giroux’s Philadelphia Flyers hosting Henrik Lundqvist’s New York Rangers on Wednesday Night Rivalry tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and the debut of Star Sundays this Sunday, Jan. 8, at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, when Ryan Suter and the Minnesota Wild visit Ryan Kesler and the Anaheim Ducks.
Coverage begins tonight at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN with a doubleheader, when the Rangers host Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres, and shifts west at 10 p.m. ET, when Joe Pavelski and the San Jose Sharks host Drew Doughty and the Los Angeles Kings. NBCSN will also present coverage of Sabres-Blackhawks on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of this week’s NHL action.
Four-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst), and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass analyst) will call this week’s Rangers-Flyers Wednesday Night Rivalry game from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. Kenny Albert (play-by-play) and McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass analyst) call this week’s Ducks-Wild Star Sunday contest at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Albert (play-by-play) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass analyst) will provide commentary of Sabres-Rangers tonight from Madison Square Garden, and will also team up to call Sabres-Blackhawks on Thursday night from United Center in Chicago. Randy Hahn (play-by-play), Jim Fox (analyst), and Bret Hedican (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) call Kings-Ducks from SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.
Pre-game coverage on NHL Live begins one hour prior to this week’s games. Liam McHugh and Kathryn Tappen will anchor coverage throughout the week, joined by analysts and former players Mike Milbury, Keith Jones, Jeremy Roenick, Brian Boucher, and Anson Carter. Post-game coverage on NHL Overtime will air on NBCSN immediately following this week’s games.
NHL SUNDAY SHOOTOUT – WEEKLY PROGRAM RECAPPING THE WEEK THAT WAS – RETURNS THIS SUNDAY NIGHT ON NBCSN FOLLOWING DUCKS-WILD
NBCSN’s NHL Sunday Shootout, a 30-minute program that recaps the biggest NHL moments of each week, returns for a second season, beginning this Sunday, Jan. 8, immediately following Ducks-Wild. NHL Sunday Shootout will serve as a weekly roundup for NHL fans on most Sunday nights leading into the postseason. In addition to insight and analysis recapping the week around the league, NHL Sunday Shootout will preview the upcoming week and feature recurring segments, including:
- NHL Live Roundtable – NBCSN’s NHL Live studio crew will discuss the hot topics in the league, analyzing the latest news and biggest stories from the previous seven days;
- Game Of The Week – NHL Sunday Shootout relives the best game of each week, utilizing game audio from the local telecast, in-game audio from players and coaches, and post-game interviews;
- NHL Best of 7 – A countdown of the Top 7 highlight-reel goals, saves and passes from the week;
- Inside The Numbers – A deep dive highlighting the statistical achievements and milestones reached each week, as well as those on the horizon in the coming days.
Paul Burmeister hosts this week’s edition of NHL Sunday Shootout alongside Brian Boucher.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY – RANGERS-FLYERS – 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
New York (26-12-1, 53 pts) boasts the third-most points in their division and in the NHL, trailing only division-rivals Columbus (56 pts) and Pittsburgh (55 pts). The Rangers have won three straight games, including a 6-2 victory against Colorado on New Year’s Eve. New York leads the league with 133 goals scored, and six players on the club have scored at least 10 goals, led by Chris Kreider (15 goals).
Philadelphia (20-14-5, 45 pts) is coming off a 4-3 shootout loss in Anaheim on Jan. 1, despite outshooting the Ducks 55-25 in the contest. The Flyers’ offense is equally impressive, tied for fourth in the league in goals scored (112), but the team has struggled defensively, tied for the third-most goals allowed (116). Jakub Voracek (35 pts), Wayne Simmonds (32 pts), and captain Claude Giroux (32 pts) continue to power the Flyers’ offense. The Rangers won the most-recent meeting between the two clubs by the score of 3-2 in the NHL Thanksgiving Showdown on NBC.
STAR SUNDAY – DUCKS-WILD – SUNDAY AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The debut of Star Sundays on NBCSN this week features two of the top teams in the Western Conference. The Wild (23-9-4. 50 pts) are second in the conference behind Chicago, and had its 12-game winning streak snapped by Columbus on Jan. 1, while the Ducks (19-12-8, 46 pts) are fourth in the conference.
Minnesota’s strong play has been led by a balanced offensive attack and a defense that has allowed the second-fewest goals in the NHL (74). Veteran defenseman Ryan Suter leads the NHL in plus-minus rating (+26), and is fourth on the club in assists (16). Goaltender Devan Dubnyk leads the league in goals against average (1.75), save percentage (.941), and shutouts (5). Anaheim forward Ryan Kesler leads the club in goals (15) and assists (19), and scored a hat trick in the Ducks’ 4-3 win over the Flyers on Jan 1.
SABRES-RANGERS – TONIGHT AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Sabres (13-15-8, 34 pts) enter 2017 following a 3-1 loss to Boston on New Year’s Eve. Second-year forward Jack Eichel has posted 12 points in 15 games since returning from injury, including a two-goal effort against the Rangers in Buffalo’s 4-3 win against the Rangers on Dec. 1, the only prior meeting between the teams this season.
KINGS-SHARKS – TONIGHT AT 10 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
Los Angeles (18-15-4, 40 pts) and San Jose (23-13-1, 47 pts) are completing an extended home-and-home set that opened on New Year’s Eve, which the Kings won 3-2 in Los Angeles. Jeff Carter scored his 20th goal of the season in the win for the Kings, while San Jose defenseman Brent Burns netted his team-leading 15th goal in the loss.
SABRES-BLACKHAWKS – THURSDAY AT 8:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Blackhawks (23-12-5, 51 pts) lead the Western Conference and look to bounce back from their 4-1 loss to the rival St. Louis Blues in the NHL Winter Classic on Monday. Second-year forward Artemi Panarin assisted on Chicago’s lone goal in the game, and currently leads the team with 39 points. The two teams will meet again on NBCSN on Sunday, Feb. 19, as part of NBC Sports Group’s Hockey Day In America quadruple-header.
COLLEGE HOCKEY DOUBLEHEADER – MICHIGAN TECH AT NO. 12 NOTRE DAME – FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ON NBCSN
NBCSN continues its 2016-17 college hockey coverage this weekend with a doubleheader featuring the No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-6-2) and the Michigan Tech Huskies (13-8-3). Notre Dame has won four straight games, including a sweep of Alaska Fairbanks last weekend. Michigan Tech had its four-game winning streak snapped in a 1-0 overtime loss to Western Michigan last weekend.
NBCSN presents the first game of the doubleheader Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the second matchup on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Alex Faust (play-by-play) and Anson Carter (analyst) call Friday’s game, while Nick Gismondi (play-by-play) joins Carter for Saturday’s telecast from South Bend, Ind.
Following is this week’s hockey coverage on NBCSN:
| Date | Coverage | Network | Time (ET) |
| Tues., January 3 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 6 p.m. |
| Buffalo at N.Y. Rangers** | NBCSN | 7 p.m. | |
| Los Angeles at San Jose | NBCSN | 10 p.m. | |
| NHL Overtime* | NBCSN | 12:30 p.m. | |
| Wed., January 4 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 7 p.m. |
| Wednesday Night Rivalry – N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia | NBCSN | 8 p.m. | |
| NHL Overtime* | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. | |
| Thur., January 5 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
| Buffalo at Chicago** | NBCSN | 8:30 p.m. | |
| NHL Overtime* | NBCSN | 11 p.m. | |
| Fri., January 6 | College Hockey – Michigan Tech at No. 12 Notre Dame | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat., January 7 | College Hockey – Michigan Tech at No. 12 Notre Dame | NBCSN | 7 p.m. |
| Sun., January 8 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 7 p.m. |
| Star Sunday – Anaheim at Minnesota | NBCSN | 8 p.m. | |
| NHL Overtime* | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. | |
| NHL Sunday Shootout | NBCSN | 11:30 p.m. |
*immediately following game coverage
**subject to local blackout
NHL ON NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP: NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of the 2016-17 NHL regular season 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.
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are powered by Playmaker Media and available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.
2016-17 REGULAR SEASON COVERAGE ON NBC & NBCSN
NBC Sports Group will deliver coverage of 106 NHL regular-season games during the 2016-17 season, featuring 14 games on NBC and 92 games on NBCSN. All games will be streamed live via NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Click here for more information on NBC Sports Group’s comprehensive NHL coverage this season.
NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS
NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NHL markets such as Boston (Bruins), Philadelphia (Flyers), Washington D.C. (Capitals), Chicago (Blackhawks) and the Bay Area (Sharks), will air more than 300 live NHL games and surround the 2016-17 NHL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most.
-NBC SPORTS GROUP-
