FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 16th, 2018

TEAM USA MEN’S HOCKEY FACES OFF AGAINST OLYMPIC ATHLETES FROM RUSSIA SATURDAY MORNING, FEB. 17, AT 7:10 A.M. ET, LIVE ON NBCSN

Team USA Can Advance to Quarterfinal Round with Win

Team USA Coming Off 2-1 Win vs. Slovakia, Led by Two Goals by Harvard University’s Ryan Donato

NBCSN Will Air Encore Presentation of Team USA vs. Olympia Athletes from Russia as “Game of the Day” Tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – February 16, 2018 – Team USA men’s hockey can advance to the quarterfinal round of the Olympic tournament with a win when they face Olympic Athletes from Russia tomorrow morning, Saturday, Feb. 17, at 7:10 a.m. ET, live on NBCSN.

Team USA is coming off a 2-1 win against Slovakia in group play on Friday, as Harvard University’s Ryan Donato netted both goals for the Americans in the victory. The Americans opened group play in the men’s tournament with an overtime loss to Slovenia, and currently lead Group B with four points following the win (three points) and overtime loss (one point) in their first two games.

With a win, Team USA can earn a bye to the quarterfinal round of the tournament, where they would await a winner from the qualification playoffs.

The U.S men’s hockey team is comprised of collegiate athletes, American Hockey League players, and Americans playing professionally overseas, and is captained by 2003 Stanley Cup winner Brian Gionta, a veteran of more than 1,000 NHL games.

The Olympic Athletes from Russia squad is headlined by former NHL players Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk, and has three points in the tournament with a win and loss in its first two games. The team is coming off an 8-2 victory against Slovenia, in which Kovalchuk scored twice and added an assist.

Tomorrow’s game between the U.S. men’s hockey team and Olympic Athletes from Russia comes almost four years to the day of the thrilling matchup between Team USA and Russia at the Sochi Games in 2014, when Team USA’s T.J. Oshie scored four times in the heart-stopping shootout to propel the Americans to a 3-2 win live on NBCSN.

Kenny Albert (play-by-play), former NHL player, coach, and general manager Mike Milbury (analyst), and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass analyst) will call the action from the Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung, South Korea. Kathryn Tappen will anchor studio coverage alongside two-time U.S. Olympian Jeremy Roenick and Keith Jones.

In addition to tomorrow morning’s live coverage, NBCSN will air an encore presentation of Team USA vs. Olympic Athletes from Russia as its “Game of the Day” tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Following is NBC Olympics’ coverage of the men’s hockey tournament tomorrow, all live and all times ET.

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Sat., Feb. 17 Switzerland vs. South Korea NBCSN 2:40 a.m.
  Team USA vs. Olympic Athletes from Russia NBCSN 7:10 a.m.
  Slovakia vs. Slovenia USA Network 7:10 a.m.
  Game of the Day – Team USA vs. OAR (Encore) NBCSN 3:30 p.m.
  Germany vs. Norway NBCSN 10:10 p.m.

 

ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s Olympic Games coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. NBCUniversal owns the U.S. media rights on all platforms to all Olympic Games through 2032.

— PYEONGCHANG 2018 —