FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 13th, 2017
DAY 2 – AUSTON MATTHEWS & MAPLE LEAFS VS. ALEX OVECHKIN & CAPITALS IN TONIGHT’S GAME 1 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF TRIPLEHEADER ACROSS NBCSN & USA NETWORK
Auston Matthews, Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane, and P.K. Subban Among Superstars Featured in Tonight’s Game 1 Matchups
Tonight on USA Network – (WC2) Maple Leafs-(1) Capitals at 7 p.m. ET; Dave Strader to Handle Play-by-Play of Games 1 and 2 of Leafs-Capitals
NBCSN Doubleheader – (WC2) Predators-(1) Blackhawks at 8 p.m. ET, Followed by (WC1) Flames-(1) Ducks at 10:30 p.m. ET
Studio Coverage Starts with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN
NBC Sports Group Cable Networks to Provide Side-By-Side Telecasts of 2017 Stanley Cup Playoff First-Round Games in Local Markets
NHL Regular Season Reaches Nearly 40 Million Viewers, Up 7% vs. 2015-16
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 13, 2017 – NBC Sports Group’s comprehensive coverage of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs continues tonight with a tripleheader on NBCSN and USA Network. Rookie phenom Auston Matthews and the (WC2) Toronto Maple Leafs face Alex Ovechkin and the (1) Washington Capitals in Game 1 of their first-round series at 7 p.m. ET on USA Network.
NBCSN’s Game 1 doubleheader begins at 8 p.m. ET, when Patrick Kane and the (1) Chicago Blackhawks host P.K. Subban and the Nashville Predators. Coverage shifts west at 10:30 p.m. ET, when Ryan Kesler and the (1) Anaheim Ducks welcome Johnny Gaudreau and the (WC1) Calgary Flames. Studio coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN with NHL Live.
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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 13 (All times ET)
| Time | Coverage | Network | Commentators |
| 7 p.m. | NHL Live | NBCSN | Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury, Keith Jones |
| 7 p.m. | Game 1 – (WC2) Toronto at (1) Washington | USA Network | Dave Strader, Brian Boucher |
| 8 p.m. | Game 1 – (WC2) Nashville at (1) Chicago | NBCSN | Kenny Albert, Pierre McGuire |
| NHL Live (Intermission Reports) | USA Network | Kathryn Tappen, Jeremy Roenick, Anson Carter |
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| 10:30 p.m. | Game 1 – (WC1) Calgary at (1) Anaheim | NBCSN | Rick Ball, John Garrett |
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and Connected TVs – will live stream all games airing on NBC, NBCSN, USA Network and CNBC, all via “TV Everywhere.”
For more information on NBC Sports Group’s overall NHL Playoff coverage, please click here.
NHL REGULAR SEASON REACHES NEARLY 40 MILLION VIEWERS, UP 7% VS. 2015-16
The 2016-17 NHL regular season reached nearly 40 million viewers (39.5 million) across NBC and NBCSN, up 7% as compared to last season (36.8). It stands as NBC Sports Group’s second-best reach delivery behind only the 2013-14 NHL regular season (42.8 million).
The TAD (Total Audience Delivery; TV + digital) for 106 regular season games on NBC/NBCSN averaged 475,000 viewers.
NBC Sports Digital posted its best-ever regular season for NHL live streaming with a total of 923,000 uniques, up 28% versus the 2015-16 regular season, and 126 million live minutes, up 30%. (Does not include All-Star Weekend)
Pittsburgh led all local markets across NBC (2.64 HH rating), NBCSN (1.11), and combined (1.34). Following are the Top 10 markets for combined NBC/NBCSN local HH ratings.
| Market | HH Rating |
| 1. Pittsburgh | 1.34 |
| 2. Buffalo | 1.04 |
| 3. Minneapolis-St. Paul | 0.95 |
| 4. St. Louis | 0.94 |
| 5. Philadelphia | 0.72 |
| 6. Chicago | 0.71 |
| 7. Boston | 0.68 |
| 8. West Palm Beach | 0.59 |
| 9. Providence | 0.56 |
| T10. Las Vegas | 0.49 |
| T10. Washington D.C. | 0.49 |
NBCSN, CNBC, USA NETWORK, NBCSPORTS.COM, AND THE NBC SPORTS APP TO PROVIDE SIDE-BY-SIDE COVERAGE OF FIRST-ROUND GAMES IN LOCAL MARKETS FOR FIRST TIME
For the first time since NBC Sports Group acquired NHL rights prior to the 2005-06 season, coverage of Stanley Cup Playoff first-round games on NBCUniversal cable networks (NBCSN, CNBC, USA Network) as well as NHL Network, will air side-by-side in local markets alongside regional sports network game telecasts. In addition, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will provide streaming coverage of every first-round game. Prior to this season, NBC Sports’ national first-round cable telecasts were blacked out in all local U.S. markets. (Local television and streaming blackouts will still apply in Boston and Pittsburgh in the first round).
TONIGHT – APRIL 13 – NHL LIVE BEGINS AT 7 P.M ET ON NBCSN
NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury and Keith Jones, begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Kathryn Tappen, Jeremy Roenick and Anson Carter will anchor USA Network’s studio coverage throughout the Maple Leafs-Capitals matchup.
(WC2) TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS AT (1) WASHINGTON CAPITALS – GAME 1 AT 7 P.M. ET ON USA NETWORK
Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are coming off their second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy, following a league-leading 118 points this season. The Caps aim to bounce back from their second-round loss to Pittsburgh last postseason. Braden Holtby followed up his Vezina Trophy-winning campaign in 2015-16 by leading the league in wins (42) and shutouts (9). Rookie phenom Auston Matthews has propelled the Maple Leafs to the playoffs with 40 goals, tied for second in the NHL, along with 61-point rookie seasons by Mitch Marner and William Nylander. Toronto returns to the postseason for the first time since 2012-13, when they lost their first-round series in seven games to Boston, and have reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for just the second time in the last 12 season.
Veteran NHL commentator and long-time NHL on NBC play-by-play voice Dave Strader will call Games 1 and 2 of the Leafs-Capitals series for NBC Sports Group. Strader, who has served as the TV play-by-play voice of the Dallas Stars since 2015, revealed in June 2016 that he had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer (cholangiocarcinoma), which prevented him from calling a majority of games for the Stars this season.
Earlier this season, Strader’s treatment schedule allowed him to return to the Stars’ booth for a five-game homestand, which included the NHL Game of the Week on NBC on Feb. 26, featuring the Stars and Boston Bruins.
(WC2) NASHVILLE PREDATORS AT (1) CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – GAME 1 AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Blackhawks and Predators meet in the first round for the second time in the past three seasons. Chicago defeated Nashville in six games in 2014-15 en route to their Stanley Cup title. The Blackhawks finished the season with the best record in the Western Conference (109 pts), and look to avenge their first-round loss against St. Louis in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nashville hopes to build on their second-round exit last season against San Jose, their third appearance in the second round in the last six seasons. Chicago’s Patrick Kane followed his MVP season in 2015-16 with 89 points this season, tied with Sidney Crosby for second in the league. Nashville boasts a balanced offensive attack, led by Ryan Johansen, and 12 skaters with at least 10 goals this season. Chicago has won the Stanley Cup three times in the past six seasons (2010, 2013, 2015).
(WC1) CALGARY FLAMES AT (1) ANAHEIM DUCKS – GAME 1 AT 10:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
Anaheim is coming off its fifth consecutive Pacific Division title, but suffered a first-round defeat to the Predators last season. Ryan Kesler had a strong season for Anaheim with 58 points, his highest output since the 2010-11 season. Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau (61 pts) posted his third-straight 60-point campaign. The Flames will need to overcome their road woes in Anaheim in order to advance – Calgary has lost 27 consecutive games against the Ducks in Anaheim, an NHL record, dating back to the 2003-2004 season.
“WHERE IN THE WORLD IS PIERRE MCGUIRE?” EMMY-AWARD WINNING ‘INSIDE-THE-GLASS’ ANALYST BEGINS MARATHON SCHEDULE
NBC Sports Group’s Emmy-Award winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire began his marathon first-round broadcast schedule last night in Pittsburgh with Game 1 of the Blue Jackets-Penguins series. McGuire is slated to serve as an analyst for eight games in eight days to begin the postseason, with more games likely added to that run as series continue. His schedule will be comprised of six different cities and four different series. *Note – schedule is subject to change
| Date | Coverage | Travel |
| Wed., April 12 | Game 1 – (3) Columbus at (2) Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh > Chicago |
| Thurs., April 13 | Game 1 – (WC2) Nashville at (1) Chicago | Chicago > St. Paul |
| Fri., April 14 | Game 2 – (3) St. Louis at (2) Minnesota | St. Paul > Chicago |
| Sat., April 15 | Game 2 – (WC2) Nashville at (1) Chicago | Chicago > St. Louis |
| Sun., April 16 | Game 3 – (2) Minnesota at (3) St. Louis | St. Louis > Boston |
| Mon., April 17 | Game 3 – (2) Ottawa at (3) Boston | Boston > Columbus |
| Tues., April 18 | Game 4 – (2) Pittsburgh at (3) Columbus | Columbus > St. Louis |
| Wed., April 19 | Game 4 – (2) Minnesota at (3) St. Louis | TBA |
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 50 million U.S. households. NBC Sports Regional Networks serve the hometown fans of the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals, with first-round game coverage, pre- and post-game shows, and extensive on-line coverage via CSN’s team of NHL Insiders.
For teams that advance past the first round, NBC Sports Regional Networks will deliver extensive pre- and post-game coverage as well as breaking news and analysis throughout each team’s playoff run.
NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all Stanley Cup Playoff games to desktops, tablets, and connected TVs. The NBC Sports app will stream coverage via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. Powered by Playmaker Media, the NBC Sports app is available on Apple iOS, Android and select Samsung devices, as well as on Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Win10, and Xbox.
–NBC SPORTS GROUP–
