FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 23rd, 2017

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS FLYERS-PENGUINS NHL STADIUM SERIES GAME FROM HEINZ FIELD SATURDAY NIGHT ON NBC

Pittsburgh Penguins Host Philadelphia Flyers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh Saturday Night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC

“Star Sunday Doubleheader” Begins at Noon ET on NBC – Tyler Seguin and Dallas Stars Host David Pastrnak and Boston Bruins in NHL Game of the Week

Dave Strader Returns to NHL on NBC Broadcast Booth to Call Bruins-Stars

Jonathan Toews and Chicago Blackhawks Host Vladimir Tarasenko and St. Louis Blues Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. – February 23, 2017 – NBC Sports takes the NHL outside in primetime on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, for the 2017 NHL Stadium Series from Heinz Field, home of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, featuring Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins hosting intra-state rivals Wayne Simmonds and the Philadelphia Flyers.

Weekend coverage continues with a “Star Sunday” doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC, when Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars host David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins. Bruins-Stars will also feature the return of veteran NHL commentator and long-time NHL on NBC play-by-play voice Dave Strader to the NBC booth to call the action. Coverage on NBC begins with NHL Live at noon ET.

“Star Sunday” shifts to NBCSN at 6:30 p.m. ET with NHL Live, followed by a clash of Central Division rivals at 7:30 p.m. ET, when Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks host Vladimir Tarasenko and the St. Louis Blues.

Airing most Sundays through the end of the regular season in April, NBC Sports’ “Star Sunday” games will shine a spotlight on a star from each team. The stars selected for each “Star Sunday” will be the focus of pre-game player arrivals and interviews, and will be highlighted in pre-game features and “get-to-know” segments. NBC Sports’ “Star Sunday” game telecasts will include an iso cam on the stars to be utilized for game analysis during intermissions, and scoreboard graphics will let viewers know when these stars are on the ice.

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 both games.
NHL STADIUM SERIES – FLYERS-PENGUINS – SATURDAY AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBC

This marks just the third-ever regularly-scheduled NHL regular-season primetime game on NBC since NBC Sports acquired NHL rights prior to the 2005-2006 season. Philadelphia (28-24-7, 63 pts) is currently three points behind the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Rivalry last night. All-Star Game Wayne Simmonds leads the club with 25 goals.

Pittsburgh (36-14-8, 82 pts) is five points behind Washington for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Sidney Crosby leads the league in goals (33) and is second in the league in points (66), two behind Connor McDavid. This is just the second matchup between the in-state rivals this season. The Penguins beat the Flyers 5-4 on Oct. 29 in Philadelphia, as Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each scored twice.

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 have the call of Flyers-Penguins from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The NHL on NBC studio team of Liam McHugh (host) and analysts Mike Milbury, Keith Jones, and Jeremy Roenick will anchor pre-game and intermission coverage on-site from Heinz Field.


DAVE STRADER RETURNS TO NHL ON NBC BROADCAST BOOTH TO CALL BRUINS-STARS NHL GAME OF THE WEEK THIS SUNDAY ON NBC

Veteran NHL commentator and long-time NHL on NBC play-by-play voice Dave Strader will call NBC Sports’ NHL Game of the Week, featuring the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins from American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, this Sunday on NBC.

In June 2016, Strader, the Stars’ local play-by-play voice, revealed he had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer (cholangiocarcinoma), which has prevented him from calling games for the Stars this season. However, Strader’s treatment schedule has allowed him to return to the Stars’ booth for their current five-game homestand, which began Saturday against Tampa Bay.

“Dave Strader has been a wonderful friend and NHL on NBC teammate for more than a decade,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer and President, Production, NBC and NBCSN. “We’re thrilled to have Dave lead our game broadcast in Dallas on Sunday, and join the Dallas Stars and Hockey Fights Cancer in providing a national platform to raise awareness for the battle against cancer.”

A member of the NHL on NBC family since 2005, Strader will be joined in the booth by his Stars broadcast partner Daryl Reaugh, as well as ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Andy Brickley.


DAVID PASTRNAK AND TYLER SEGUIN

Pastrnak in having a breakout year in his third NHL season with the Bruins. Boston’s first-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft has scored 25 goals this season, equal to his goal total from his first two combined NHL seasons. Pastrnak is tied with Brad Marchand for the team lead in goals. Boston (30-24-6, 66 pts) is coming off a 5-3 loss to Anaheim, faces Los Angeles tonight, and is tied with the Islanders and Panthers for the second Wild Card spot.

Seguin leads the Stars and is currently tied for eighth in the in points (59), and recorded three assists in Dallas’ 4-3 overtime win against Tampa Bay last Saturday. Boston selected Seguin with the second overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, and was a member of the Stanley Cup Champion Bruins in 2011. Boston traded Seguin to the Stars as part of a seven-player deal in the 2013 offseason, and he has scored 293 points in 283 games with Dallas in three-plus seasons. Dallas (23-27-10, 56 pts) hosts Arizona tomorrow night.
JONATHAN TOEWS AND VLADIMIR TARASENKO

Jonathan Toews has found his scoring touch following a slow start to the 2016-17 season. The Blackhawks captain and three-time Stanley Cup winner has recorded 20 points (8g/12a) in his last 12 games after posting 22 points (7g/15a) in his first 39 games this season. The Blackhawks are coming off a 5-4 win against Minnesota on Tuesday, as Toews had a hand in all five goals with a hat trick and two assists. Chicago (37-18-5, 79 pts) is five points behind Minnesota for the best record in the Western Conference, and faces Arizona tonight on NBCSN.

Vladimir Tarasenko is currently tied for fourth in the NHL in goals (28), looking to equal his 40-goal output from a season ago. Now in his fifth season in St. Louis, Tarasenko has averaged nearly a point per game the past three seasons (203 points in 217 games), and was the Blues’ first-round pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. The Blues (31-24-5) have lost their last two games, but are 7-3-0 in their last 10 overall, and have not lost on the road in the month of February (6-0-0). This marks the last of five meetings between St. Louis and Chicago in the regular season – each team has won twice.

Gord Miller (play-by-play) and McGuire will call the action from United Center in Chicago.

 

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Thur., February 23 NHL Live NBCSN 7:30 p.m.
  Arizona at Chicago** NBCSN 8:30 p.m.
  NHL Overtime* NBCSN 11 p.m.
Sat., February 25 NHL Stadium Series – Philadelphia at Pittsburgh NBC 8 p.m.
Sun., February 26 NHL Live NBC 12 p.m.
  NHL Game of the Week – Boston at Dallas NBC 12:30 p.m.
  NHL Live NBCSN 6:30 p.m.
  St. Louis at Chicago NBCSN 7:30 p.m.
  NHL Overtime* NBCSN 10 p.m.
  NHL Sunday Shootout – The Week in Review NBCSN 11 p.m.

*immediately following game coverage
**subject to local blackout

 

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