FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 17th, 2017
PATRICK KANE AND CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS FACE OFF AGAINST VLADIMIR TARASENKO AND ST. LOUIS BLUES ON NBCSN’S WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY
Wednesday Night Rivalry – Blackhawks-Blues – 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Analyst Eddie Olczyk Returns to Call Blackhawks-Blues Tomorrow Night
Wednesday Nightcap – Canadiens-Kings – at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Tuesday Night NHL Doubleheader on NBCSN –Lightning-Devils at 7:30 p.m. ET, Followed by Canadiens-Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET
Alex Ovechkin and Capitals Host Panthers Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – October 17, 2017 – NBC Sports presents a classic Central Division clash on this week’s Wednesday Night Rivalry on NBCSN, as Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks travel to St. Louis to face Vladimir Tarasenko and the Blues at 8 p.m. ET. Pre-game coverage begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET.
Hawks-Blues on Wednesday Night Rivalry kicks off a doubleheader on NBCSN, followed by a matchup between Carey Price and the Montreal Canadiens and Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings at 10:30 p.m. ET.
This week’s NHL coverage begins tonight with a doubleheader starting at 7:30 p.m. ET, when Taylor Hall and the Devils host Steven Stamkos and the Lightning, followed by a matchup between the Canadiens and Joe Pavelski’s San Jose Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET.
NBCSN’s NHL slate concludes this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, as league-leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals host Jonathan Huberdeau and the Florida Panthers.
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.
ANALYST EDDIE OLCZYK RETURNS TO CALL BLACKHAWKS-BLUES TOMORROW NIGHT
U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member and long-time NHL on NBC analyst Eddie Olczyk will return to the booth tomorrow night to call the Blackhawks-Blues Wednesday Night Rivalry game on NBCSN. Olczyk is in the midst of treatment for colon cancer, and has been sidelined since the start of the season. Olczyk will join five-time Emmy Award-winner Mike “Doc” Emrick (play-by-play) and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) for the call on Wednesday.
“I’m excited to return to the booth with Doc and Pierre, and have the band back together,” said Olczyk. “The support from my family, friends, and the hockey and horse racing communities has been incredible, and it’s important for me to continue to set goals. It has been a long time since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. I’m looking forward to putting the headset back on.”
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Pre-game coverage on NHL Live begins an hour prior to puck drop tomorrow and Wednesday on NBCSN. Liam McHugh, Kathryn Tappen and Paul Burmeister anchor studio coverage this week, joined by analysts and former players Mike Milbury, Keith Jones, Jeremy Roenick, and Anson Carter, as well as NHL insider Bob McKenzie on Wednesday night. Post-game coverage on NHL Overtime will air on NBCSN immediately following this week’s games.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY – BLACKHAWKS-BLUES AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Blackhawks enter the week having split their last two games, including a 2-1 overtime victory against Nashville on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. Brandon Saad scored the game-winning goal against the Predators, his sixth tally of the season, which is tied for second in the NHL. Goaltender Corey Crawford currently leads the NHL in goals against average (1.39) and save percentage (.960).
The Blues look to rebound from back-to-back losses after winning their first four games of the season and outscoring their opponents 15-9. Alex Pietrangelo and Jaden Schwartz have each accounted for eight points this season, while Tarasenko leads the team with four goals.
WEDNESDAY NIGHTCAP – CANADIENS-KINGS AT 10:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Kings are off to their best start in franchise history, boasting a 4-0-1 record following a 3-2 win against the Islanders on Sunday to sit alone atop the Pacific Division. Los Angeles’ early success has been fueled by Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown, who have combined to score eight of the team’s 16 goals this season.
The Canadiens enter the week following a 4-3 overtime loss at home to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Jonathan Drouin had a goal and an assist in the game for Montreal.
Alex Faust (play-by-play) and Jim Fox (analyst) have the call of Canadiens-Kings from Staples Center in Los Angeles.
LIGHTNING-DEVILS – TONIGHT AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Lightning have won four straight games, including a 3-2 win against Detroit last night. Nikita Kucherov scored twice for Tampa Bay in last night’s win, and joins Steve Yzerman (1988-89 Red Wings), Mario Lemieux (1992-93 Penguins), and Keith Tkachuk (2008-09 Blues) as the only players in the past 30 years to score a goal in at least six consecutive team games to start a season.
The Devils are 4-1 to start the 2017-18 campaign, including a 3-2 win against the rival New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Rookie defenseman Will Butcher who recorded two assists in the win, and has eight assists this season in five games
Brendan Burke (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) provide commentary of Lightning-Devils tonight at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
CANADIENS-SHARKS – TONIGHTAT 10:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Sharks defeated the Sabres, 3-2, to earn their first victory of the season on Thursday before falling to the Islanders at home this past Saturday. Second-year forward Kevin Labanc leads the team with three goals scored in four games this season. Tonight’s contest against the Canadiens marks the last game of a five-game homestand for the Sharks to open the 2017-18 season.
Randy Hahn (play-by-play) and Jamie Baker (analyst) call Canadiens-Sharks from SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.
PANTHERS-CAPITALS – SATURDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
Washington enters the week looking to bounce back from an 8-2 loss on the road against Philadelphia on Saturday. Through five games, Alex Ovechkin has amassed a league-leading nine goals, while teammates Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov are tied for the league lead in points (11). With goals against Pittsburgh and New Jersey, Ovechkin joined Mike Bossy, Mario Lemieux and Patrick Marleau as the only players to score nine goals in the first five games of a season.
The Panthers split their first four games of the season and are averaging the fifth-most goals scored per game (4.0). Jonathan Huberdeau leads the team in goals scored (three) and points (five).
Joe Beninati (play-by-play) and Craig Laughlin (analyst) will call Panthers-Capitals on Saturday from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Following is this week’s NHL coverage on NBCSN:
| Date | Coverage | Network | Time (ET) |
| Tues., Oct. 17 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 6:30 p.m. |
| Tampa Bay at New Jersey | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Montréal at San Jose | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. | |
| NHL Overtime* | NBCSN | 1 a.m. | |
| Weds., Oct. 18 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 7 p.m. |
| Wednesday Night Rivalry – Chicago at St. Louis | NBCSN | 8 p.m. | |
| Wednesday Nightcap – Montréal at Los Angeles | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. | |
| NHL Overtime* | NBCSN | 1 a.m. | |
| Sat., Oct. 21 | Florida at Washington | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
| NHL Overtime* | NBCSN | 10:15 p.m. |
*immediately following game coverage
**subject to local blackout
2017-18 REGULAR SEASON COVERAGE ON NBC & NBCSN
NBC Sports Group will deliver coverage nearly 100 NHL regular-season games during the 2017-18 season on NBC and 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.
THE NHL ON NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP
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