FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 20th, 2017

TWO-TIME DEFENDING STANLEY CUP CHAMPION PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VISIT BOSTON BRUINS IN 2017 NHL THANKSGIVING SHOWDOWN FRIDAY AT 1 P.M. ET ON NBC

Western Conference-Leading St. Louis Blues Host Connor McDavid and Edmonton Oilers Tomorrow Night at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN

NHL-Leading Tampa Bay Lightning Host Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

College Hockey – No. 6 Minnesota at No. 4 Notre Dame – Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. – November 20, 2017 – NBC Sports presents the 2017 NHL Thanksgiving Showdown this Friday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC, when Sidney Crosby and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins travel to Boston to face Patrice Bergeron and the Bruins, marking the first of nine games that will air on NBC during the regular season.

This week’s NHL coverage on NBCSN features the leaders of the Eastern and Western Conferences, beginning tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET, when 2016-17 Hart Trophy Award winner Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers travel to face Vladimir Tarasenko and the Western Conference-leading St. Louis Blues at 8 p.m. ET. Coverage continues Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET with a rematch of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, when Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks visit Steven Stamkos and the NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning.

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.

Four-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), former player, coach and general manager Mike Milbury (analyst), and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass analyst) will call Penguins-Bruins from TD Garden in Boston on Friday. Host Liam McHugh and Keith Jones will provide pre-game and intermission analysis on-site.

Kathryn Tappen anchors this week’s studio coverage of NHL Live on Tuesday and Wednesday, joined by analysts and former players Keith Jones and Brian Boucher. Post-game coverage on NHL Overtime will air on NBCSN immediately following this week’s games.


2017 NHL THANKSGIVING SHOWDOWN – PENGUINS-BRUINS – FRIDAY AT 1 P.M. ET ON NBC

The two-time reigning Stanley Cup champion Penguins look to rebound from a 2-1 loss to the surging Blackhawks on Saturday. Pittsburgh has netted 14 goals in its last four games. Captain Sidney Crosby has totaled 16 points through 22 games, while teammate Phil Kessel leads the team in points (24) and goals (eight), respectively. The Penguins play the Canucks on Wednesday.

The Bruins have won their last two games – the first time they’ve won consecutive games this season – including a 2-1 road victory over the Pacific Division-leading Kings on Thursday. Boston is led offensively by David Pastrnak, who ranks first on the team in goals (10) and points (17).


OILERS-BLUES – TOMORROW AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The Oilers have dropped their last two games after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights, 8-2, last Tuesday. Connor McDavid and teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each scored two goals in Edmonton’s rout of Vegas. McDavid, the 2016-17 Hart Trophy Award winner, leads Edmonton in both goals (10) and points (25). Tuesday’s game marks the second game of a five-game road trip.

St. Louis boasts the best record in the Western Conference (15-5-1) midway through November and enters Tuesday’s contest following back-to-back road wins. The Blues topped the Canucks, 4-3, in an overtime thriller on Saturday. Brayden Schenn netted the game-winner with 2:41 remaining in the extra session. Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko lead the team with 10 goals apiece.

Kenny Albert (play-by-play) and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’) have the call of Oilers-Blues from Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.


BLACKHAWKS-LIGHTNING – WEDNESDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The Blackhawks are winners of three of their last four games and netted 17 goals in those contests. Chicago defeated Pittsburgh, 2-1, on Saturday, extending its winning streak over the Penguins to eight games. Patrick Kane leads the Blackhawks with 19 points, while teammate Artem Anisimov, who netted the game-winner on Saturday, leads the club in goals (10).

The league-leading Lightning (15-3-2) are winners of four of their last six games. Tampa boasts two of the NHL’s top scorers in Steven Stamkos, who leads the league in points (35), and Nikita Kucherov, who leads the league in goals (17). The Lightning have tallied the most goals (79) this season, while the defense has remained stingy, allowing fifth-fewest goals (51). Wednesday’s contest is Tampa’s last home game before it begins a four-game road trek.

Rick Peckham (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (‘Inside-the-Glass’) have the call of Blackhawks-Lightning from Amalie Arena from Tampa, Fla.


COLLEGE HOCKEY – NO. 6 MINNESOTA AT NO. 4 NOTRE DAME – FRIDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

NBCSN’s 2017-18 college hockey coverage continues Friday with a Big Ten clash between Minnesota and Notre Dame. The Gophers (9-4-1) are coming off consecutive wins over Harvard this past weekend. Minnesota is led offensively by Rem Pitlick, who paces the club with 17 points.

The Fighting Irish (10-3-1) enter the week on a seven-game winning streak. Notre Dame’s Jake Evans is third in NCAA Division I hockey with 22 points in just 14 games this season.

Following is this week’s NHL coverage on NBCSN:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Tues., Nov. 21 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m.
  Edmonton at St. Louis NBCSN 8 p.m.
  NHL Overtime* NBCSN 10:45 p.m.
Weds., Nov. 22 NHL Live NBCSN 6:30 p.m.
  Chicago at Tampa Bay NBCSN 7:30 p.m.
  NHL Overtime* NBCSN 10:15 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 24 2017 NHL Thanksgiving Showdown – Pittsburgh at Boston NBC 1 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

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of the 2016-17 NHL regular season via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are powered by Playmaker Media and available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.


PROHOCKEYTALK ON NBCSPORTS.COM

NBCSports.com’s ProHockeyTalk provides up-to-the-minute news and information about the NHL with the top stories each day around the league, as well as video highlights and goals of the week. PHT Morning Skate provides fans with a recap of the night’s events, as well as a preview of the big matchups to come. Click here for more information.


NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS

NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NHL markets such as Boston (Bruins), Philadelphia (Flyers), Washington D.C. (Capitals), Chicago (Blackhawks) and the Bay Area (Sharks), will air more than 300 live NHL games and surround the 2017-18 NHL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most.

-NBC SPORTS GROUP-