FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 20th, 2018

2018 PYEONGCHANG OLYMPICS – FEB. 20 DAYTIME HIGHLIGHTS ON THE NETWORKS OF NBCUNIVERSAL

“The Czechs are a team that can be pushed out.” – Jeremy Roenick on tonight’s USA-Czech Republic men’s hockey quarterfinal matchup live on CNBC at 10 p.m. ET

 

“I’m going to go out swinging in this race, win, lose or draw.” – American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor

 

“He is the best biathlete maybe in history, certainly one of two.” – Chad Salmela on France’s Martin Fourcade, following third gold medal at PyeongChang Games

 

NBC’s Primetime Coverage, Live Across All Time Zones, Begins at 8 p.m. ET Tonight Featuring Lindsey Vonn

All Events Live Streamed on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – February 20, 2018 – Tonight’s primetime coverage of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games from PyeongChang, South Korea, is highlighted by:

 

  • NBC’s primetime presentation, which begins at 8 p.m. ET live across all time zones, featuring Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn competing in the women’s downhill*;

 

  • Live coverage of the ladies’ figure skating short program on NBC in primetime, as Bradie Tennell, Mirai Nagasu, and Karen Chen headline the American effort;

 

  • Team USA men’s hockey takes on the Czech Republic in the quarterfinal live at 10 p.m. ET on CNBC.

 

*outdoor events subject to weather conditions

 

Click here for a preview of tonight’s primetime action.

 

Following are highlights from today’s coverage of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics on NBC and the networks of NBCUniversal:

 

***

WOMEN’S BOBSLED – NBCSN

 

Play-by-play commentator Leigh Diffey opening the women’s bobsled competition: “The Olympic Sliding Center is still buzzing some 24 hours after that tie for the gold medal in the men’s two-man bobsled competition. That enthusiasm has since spilled over to today, the opening night of women’s bobsled competition.”

 

Diffey following American bobsledder Jamie Greubel Poser’s first run: “What a tight race we have on our hands here.”

 

Analyst John Morgan added: “This is shaping up to be similar to what happened 24 hours ago (in men’s bobsled).”

 

American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor to reporter Lewis Johnson on her second place standing: “I was a little tentative my first run. The second run I really came out and attacked the track. I made a mistake in curve two that run, but I don’t regret it I went after it. I am going to clean it up tomorrow and really get after it. I’m going to go out swinging in this race, win, lose or draw.”

 

Watch Elana Meyers Taylor’s first two runs in the women’s bobsled here.

 

***

NORDIC COMBINED – NBCSN

 

Play-by-play commentator Paul Burmeister on Miroslav Dvorak of the Czech Republic: “He says he started at age 10. Is it more normal for guys to start as skiers and then move on to the jumping, or vice versa?”

 

Analyst Johnny Spillane replied: “You have to start with jumping because if you don’t have the jumping down you are probably never going to be a Nordic combined skier.”

 

American Nordic combined skier Ben Berend to Abby Chin following his jump: “It was awesome. I have been searching for that for a long time. I think the most frustrating part of this season is that I knew I could do that. Maybe I’ve been trying too hard or forcing it. It was almost like for the Olympics I was able to just relax, which sounds funny.”

 

Spillane in response to Berend’s interview: “I think he put so much pressure on himself early in the season to qualify for this Olympic team. When he finally did make it he was able to take a step back, take a deep breath and show what he is really capable of.”

 

Play-by-play commentator Steve Schlanger at the finish of the cross-country portion of the Nordic combined: “It’s going to be a German sweep for the podium!”

Watch Germany sweep the Nordic combined large hill podium here.

 

***

 

BIATHLON – NBCSN

 

Analyst Chad Salmela on American biathlete Joanne Reid’s performance: “Five misses for Reid. That is going to dash the hopes of the United States.”

 

Salmela on French biathlete Martin Fourcade’s place in biathlon history: “He is the best biathlete maybe in history, certainly one of two.”

 

Play-by-play commentator Bill Seward on Fourcade’s shooting performance: “You can’t say enough about Martin Fourcade. The man is exhausted. He comes into this mixed relay and I mean just lays it down, five-for-five. Off he goes.”

 

Watch France win gold in the second-ever Olympic mixed relay biathlon here.

 

***

 

MEN’S HOCKEY – USA NETWORK

 

Studio analyst Jeremy Roenick on tonight’s USA vs. Czech Republic men’s hockey matchup: “The Czechs are a team that can be pushed out.”

 

Studio analyst Keith Jones: “I think that is the way the Americans want to approach it. They want to go after them. They want to make sure they use their best asset, their speed. It was evident in the U.S. game (against Slovakia). There’s no question that is an area that they can exploit against the Czech Republic. The Czechs have rested and are ready for them. That’s the biggest question I have coming in back-to-back noon hour games here in South Korea. That’s a big challenge for a young U.S. team.”

 

Studio analyst Kathryn Tappen on South Korea’s loss to Finland: “An emotional finale for South Korea as the players salute the audience in attendance and the fans. Emotions running high from the players as well on the ice.”

 

Jones: “It was awesome. It as an incredible moment. There is their head coach, Jim Paek, you can see he is applauding his players. A very proud head coach there. When you can make your coach that proud, you have done something right.”

 

Roenick: “We stood up here in the booth and could not help but clap and applaud because what we saw was pretty special… something we won’t see in a long time.”

 

Watch Finland beat South Korea 5-2 here.

***

 

WOMEN’S SHORT TRACK – NBCSN

 

Play-by-play commentator Ted Robinson on South Korean short track speed skater Shim Suk-hee’s performance and her home country’s reaction: “There is a wonderful choreography to short track here. Every time a South Korean skater makes a move to step up, either to try to take the lead or to take the lead, the crowd roars. It’s perfect. It’s like a symphony.”

 

Robinson on American short track speed skater Lana Gehring working with a mental performance coach who works heavily with professional poker players: “Think about that – what sport would demand more mental strength and mental focus than playing professional high stakes poker?”

 

Analyst Apolo Ohno: “I think that’s really a lot about what short track is about. They always say ‘poker face,’ don’t show too much of what you’ve got, always have a different strategy and throw people off. You have got to have that bluff essentially.”

 

Watch South Korea defend its 3000m Olympic title here.

 

***

 

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 —