FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 27th, 2017
NBC SPORTS PRESENTS GAME 1 MATCHUPS OF PENGUINS-CAPITALS AND RANGERS-SENATORS SERIES TONIGHT ON NBCSN AND CNBC
Game 1 – (2) Pittsburgh Penguins at (1) Washington Capitals – 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Game 1 – (WC1) N.Y. Rangers at (2) Ottawa Senators – 7 p.m. ET on CNBC
Western Conference Game 1 Matchups Continue First-Round Viewership Momentum
“Inside-The-Glass” Analyst Brian Boucher Working Overtime in First Round of Stanley Cup Playoffs
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 27, 2017 – Tonight’s NHL Stanley Cup Playoff coverage is headlined by a clash of this season’s Presidents’ Trophy winner and the defending Stanley Cup champion and features the NHL’s two best players of the last decade, as Alex Ovechkin and the (1) Washington Capitals host Sidney Crosby and the (2) Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Pre-game coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN with NHL Live.
CNBC presents Game 1 of the (WC1) New York Rangers-(2) Ottawa Senators series at 7 p.m. ET, as New York’s Henrik Lundqvist faces off against Norris Trophy finalist and Olympic teammate Erik Karlsson.
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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 27 (All times ET)
| Time | Program | Network | Commentators |
| 6:30 p.m. | NHL Live | NBCSN | Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury, Keith Jones |
| 7 p.m. | Game 1 – (WC1) N.Y. Rangers at (2) Ottawa | CNBC | John Forslund, Brian Boucher |
| NHL Live (Intermission Reports) | CNBC | Kathryn Tappen, Jeremy Roenick, Anson Carter | |
| 7:30 p.m. | Game 1 – (2) Pittsburgh at (1) Washington | NBCSN | Mike “Doc” Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire |
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.
(WC1) N.Y. RANGERS AT (2) OTTAWA SENATORS – GAME 1 AT 7 P.M. ET ON CNBC
Both the Rangers and Senators advanced to the second round following 4-2 series victories in the first round against Montreal and Boston, respectively. New York has reached the second round for the fifth time in the last six seasons, while Ottawa makes a second-round appearances for just the second time in 10 years.
Henrik Lundqvist returned to form in the Rangers’ series with Montreal, posting a 1.70 goals against average and a .947 save percentage across the six games. Bobby Ryan was a standout performer for Ottawa in the first round, netting four goals against the Bruins, including two game-winners. New York led the NHL with 27 road wins this season, and won two of three games in Montreal in the first round.
(2) PITTSBURGH PENGUINS AT (1) WASHINGTON CAPITALS – GAME 1 AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Capitals (118 points) and Penguins (111 points) finished the regular-season as the top two teams in points in the NHL. Last year, a season when the Caps also won the Presidents’ Trophy, Pittsburgh defeated the Washington in six games en route to its fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history. Each time the Pens have won the Stanley Cup, they’ve defeated the Caps along the way. Pittsburgh has dominated playoff series with Washington, posting an 8-1 all-time series record against the Capitals.
Crosby and Ovechkin have dominated the ice for more than a decade. Ovechkin leads all players in regular-season points since 2005-06 (1,035 points), followed closely by Crosby who ranks second (1,027 points). Crosby has recorded 144 points in 129 career playoff games, while Ovechkin has posted 85 points in 90 career postseason tilts. Both have brought the best out of each other head-to-head in the playoffs as well. Crosby boasts 15 points (8g/7a) in 13 games against Ovechkin and the Caps, while Ovechkin has recorded 22 points (10g/12a) in those 12 games.
Pittsburgh dispatched of the Blue Jackets in five games in their first round series, while the Capitals earned a hard-fought win against Toronto in six games. Evgeni Malkin recorded 11 points (2g/9a) in Pittsburgh’s first-round series, while rookie Jake Guentzel led all players with five goals.
Five of Washington’s six games against Toronto went to overtime. T.J. Oshie led the Caps with seven points (3g/4a). The home team won all four games in the regular season in the Pens-Caps matchup.
WESTERN CONFERENCE GAME 1 MATCHUPS CONTINUE FIRST-ROUND VIEWERSHIP MOMENTUM
Last night’s Western Conference Game 1 matchups on NBCSN delivered overnight ratings increases to continue NBC Sports Group’s first-round viewership momentum.
Game 1 of Predators-Blues on NBCSN (8-11 p.m. ET) posted a 0.79 overnight rating, up 18% vs. Game 1 of Islanders-Lightning on the comparable night last year (0.67). Game 1 of Oilers-ducks registered a 0.48 overnight rating, up 17% vs. Game 1 of Flames-Ducks in 2015 on NBCSN in the comparable day/window (0.41).
On the strength of a record 18 overtime games, dazzling performances by young stars like Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid, and side-by-side coverage for the first time in local markets, NBC Sports Group’s Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of the first round of the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged 742,000 viewers, up 4% vs 2016 (713,000 viewers).
This was the most-watched first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2014 (753,000 viewers), despite no Game 7 matchups for the first time since the 2001 postseason. In addition, the 2017 first round featured five Canadian teams – compared to no Canadian teams last season. Click here for more information.
“INSIDE-THE-GLASS” ANALYST BRIAN BOUCHER WORKING OVERTIME IN FIRST ROUND OF STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
If tonight’s Game 1 matchup between the Rangers and Senators goes beyond regulation, fans can thank NHL on NBC “Inside-the-Glass” analyst Brian Boucher, who will call tonight’s game in Ottawa. Six of seven games that Boucher called in the first round went into overtime, including two that required double overtime.
Boucher called a total of 108:21 minutes of overtime in those games – nearly two additional games. If there’s anyone who’s built for overtime marathons, it’s Boucher. He was the winning goaltender in the longest NHL game in the modern era, when he stopped 57 of 58 shots in Philadelphia’s 5 OT win against Pittsburgh on May 4, 2000, alongside Flyers teammate Keith Jones.
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–
