FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 20th, 2017

DAY 9 – NBC SPORTS GROUP PRESENTS FOUR NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF GAMES TONIGHT – PENGUINS AND PREDATORS CAN ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND

NBCSN Doubleheader – (1) Blackhawks-(WC2) Predators at 8 p.m. ET – Predators Lead 3-0; (3) Sharks-(2) Oilers at 10:30 p.m. ET – Series Tied 2-2

Tonight on USA Network – (WC1) Rangers-(1) Canadiens at 7 p.m. ET – Series Tied 2-2

(3) Blue Jackets-(2) Penguins at 7 p.m. ET on NHL Network – Penguins Lead 3-1

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 20, 2017 – NBC Sports Group’s Stanley Cup Playoff coverage tonight features pivotal Game 5 matchups with two series tied 2-2, as well as a pair of potential series clinchers, across NBCSN, USA Network, and NHL Network. Pre-game coverage begins on NBCSN at 7 p.m. ET with NHL Live.

Game action on USA Network begins at 7 p.m. ET, when Carey Price and the (1) Montreal Canadiens host Henrik Lundqvist and the (WC1) New York Rangers, with their series deadlocked at two games apiece.

NBCSN presents a doubleheader tonight, beginning at 8 p.m. ET, as Pekka Rinne and the (WC2) Nashville Predators look to complete a four-game sweep of Patrick Kane and the (1) Chicago Blackhawks. Coverage shifts to Edmonton at 10:30 p.m. ET, when Connor McDavid and the (2) Oilers host Joe Pavelski and the (3) San Jose Sharks in a pivotal Game 5 with the series tied at two.

Sidney Crosby and the (2) Pittsburgh Penguins can also punch their ticket to the second round tonight with a Game 5 win against Cam Atkinson and the (3) Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m. ET on NHL Network.

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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 20 (All times ET)

 

Time Coverage Network Commentators
7 p.m. Game 5 – (WC1) N.Y. Rangers at (1) Montreal USA Network Chris Cuthbert,
Pierre McGuire
7 p.m. Game 5 – (3) Columbus at (2) Pittsburgh NHL Network Paul Steigerwald,
Bob Errey
7 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Mike
Milbury, Keith Jones
NHL Live (Intermission Reports) USA Network Kathryn Tappen, Jeremy
Roenick, Anson Carter
8 p.m. Game 4 – (1) Chicago at (WC2) Nashville NBCSN Gord Miller,
Ray Ferraro
10:30 p.m. Game 5 – (3) San Jose at (2) Edmonton NBCSN Brendan Burke,
Mike Johnson

 

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.

 

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 20

NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh with analysts 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 intermission coverage.

 

(WC1) N.Y. RANGERS AT (1) MONTREAL CANADIENS – GAME 5 AT 7 P.M. ET ON USA NETWORK – SERIES TIED 2-2

New York snapped its six-game home playoff losing streak in Game 4 on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden to even the series at two games apiece. Rick Nash scored the game-winning goal, while Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves. The series shifts up to Montreal tonight, where New York won Game 1, and led Game 2 until the waning moments of regulation. Montreal’s Alexander Radulov tallied an assist in Game 4, and leads all players in the series with six points (2g/4a).


(3) COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS AT (2) PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – GAME 5 AT 7 P.M. ET ON NHL NETWORK – PENGUINS LEAD 3-1

Columbus avoided elimination with a 5-4 win against Pittsburgh in Game 4 at home, but the action shifts back to PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh tonight, where the Pens won Games 1 and 2. The two teams have combined to score 27 goals in their first four games, second-most in the playoffs through four games (TOR-WSH; 28 goals). Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel leads all skaters with five goals this postseason, and Evgeni Malkin leads the league in points (8).


(1) CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS AT (WC2) NASHVILLE PREDATORS – GAME 4 AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN – PREDATORS LEAD 3-0

Nashville is looking to complete its first postseason sweep in franchise history tonight against Chicago. The Preds took a stranglehold of the series with a 3-2 overtime win in Game 3, after erasing a 2-0 deficit. Four teams in NHL history have come from behind to erase 3-0 series deficits, including the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers, who reached the Stanley Cup Final, and the 2014 Los Angeles Kings, who won the Stanley Cup. This is the second time a Blackhawks team coached by Joel Quenneville has gone down 3-0 in a series – in 2011, Chicago rallied to force a Game 7 against Vancouver, before losing that game in overtime.

 

(3) SAN JOSE SHARKS AT (2) EDMONTON OILERS – GAME 5 AT 10:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN – SERIES TIED 2-2

After being shut out in Games 2 and 3, the Sharks’ offense exploded in Game 4 en route to a 7-0 victory over the Oilers in San Jose. Joe Pavelski (2g/1a), Logan Couture (1g/1a), Patrick Marleau (1g/1a), and Brent Burns (3a) paced the Sharks’ offense. Connor McDavid was held off the scoresheet for the second consecutive game, after his 16-game point streak was snapped in Game 3.

GAME SCHEDULE AND BROADCASTER ASSIGNMENTS THROUGH FRIDAY, APRIL 21

FRIDAY, APRIL 21

7 p.m. Game 5 – (WC2) Toronto at (1) Washington NBCSN Dave Strader,
Pierre McGuire
7:30 p.m. Game 5 – (3) Boston at (2) Ottawa USA Network Kenny Albert,
Brian Boucher


“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 on Wednesday in Pittsburgh with Game 1 of the Blue Jackets-Penguins series. McGuire is slated to serve as an analyst for 10 games in 10 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 St. Louis > Montreal
Thurs., April 20 Game 5 – (WC1) N.Y. Rangers at (1) Montreal Montreal > Washington
Fri., April 21 Game 5 – (WC2) Toronto at (1) Washington 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–