FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018
2018 PYEONGCHANG OLYMPICS – FEB. 21 DAYTIME HIGHLIGHTS ON THE NETWORKS OF NBCUNIVERSAL
“It is Jessie Diggins delivering a landmark moment that will be etched in Olympic history.” – Steve Schlanger
“I think there is a perfect storm of pressure on them and I think they are using it as motivation.” – AJ Mleczko on tonight’s USA-Canada women’s hockey gold medal final matchup live on NBCSN at 10:45 p.m. ET
“This hasn’t been the house of speed for Germany, this has been the house of gold.” – Leigh Diffey on Germany’s bobsledding success
NBC’s Primetime Coverage, Live Across All Time Zones, Begins at 8 p.m. ET Tonight Featuring Lindsey Vonn & Mikaela Shiffrin
All Events Live Streamed on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app
STAMFORD, Conn. – February 21, 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 medalists Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin competing in the downhill portion of the women’s super combined. The slalom portion will air live in primetime plus on NBC*;
- The U.S. women’s hockey team clashes with rival Canada in the gold medal game live at 10:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN, as Team USA goes for its first gold medal in women’s hockey since the inaugural tournament in 1998;
- Live coverage of the men’s halfpipe final in freestyle skiing, as David Wise looks to defend his gold medal alongside a trio of American teammates*;
*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:
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WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING – NBCSN
Play-by-play Steve Schlanger on the U.S. chances of medaling prior to the race: “The potential for an historic day looms at the Alpensia Cross-Country Center here in the men’s and women’s team sprints. The U.S. women are in pursuit of their first-ever Olympic medal in cross-country racing. Coming into PyeongChang, this event was always going to be their best chance and now it’s essentially their last chance to capture that exclusive medal while in South Korea.”
Reporter Abby Chin on American cross-country skier Kikkan Randall closing out her Olympic career: “Kikkan is a trailblazer. Already she is the first American woman to finish in the top 10 of an Olympic race, stand on a World Cup podium and win a World Cup race. It is fitting that today she is paired with her protégé, Jessie Diggins, with whom she won her first World Championship title in 2013 in this very event…Today, the pair can achieve another historic first, that elusive first medal by an American woman in an Olympic cross-country race.”
Schlanger on American cross-country skier Jessie Diggins: “She has had two fifth-place finishes and one sixth so far at these Olympic Games. She is so desperate to finally crack the top three for Team USA. Diggins embodies the team spirit maybe more than anybody else in what can so often be an individual sport. She loves this team concept.”
Analyst Chad Salmela: “She is able to dig a little bit deeper, push a little bit harder, and ski a little bit smoother on team days. She’s got her glitter and relay socks on, and there is just no stopping Jessie Diggins when she has her socks and glitter on.”
Salmela on Diggins in the final leg of the team sprint: “Almost three wide for the gold medal on the final climb.”
Schlanger: “Here comes Diggins on the outside, sensing the moment and sensing the history at stake for Team USA.”
Salmela: “They are all completely gassed. They have given it their all on the hill. Stina Nilsson (Sweden) is leading Jessie Diggins into the final turn. Can Diggins answer?”
Schlanger: “It is Jessie Diggins delivering a landmark moment that will be etched in Olympic history. The first-ever cross-country gold medal for the U.S.”
Diggins to Chin following their gold medal win: “We have been so close so many times these Games and to finally have it happen in a team event means more to me than anything.”
Hear Steve Schlanger & Chad Salmela call the women’s gold medal cross-country skiing finish here.
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WOMEN’S HOCKEY – NBCSN
Women’s hockey analyst AJ Mleczko joined host Carolyn Manno to discuss Team USA’s gold medal match against rival Canada, tonight at 10:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Following are excerpts from that conversation:
Mleczko on Team USA’s women’s hockey team winning silver in the last three Olympics: “I think they feel a tremendous amount of pressure because of it. I think the 20th anniversary – being back here in Asia, we won the gold in Nagano – I think there is a perfect storm of pressure on them and I think they are using it as motivation.”
Mleczko on how it feels to have been a part of the women’s hockey team that continues to inspire a younger generation: “I get chills. It is so amazing to have been a part of it and today watching the next steps these ambassadors are taking. It is such a great sport, and the fact that the IHF and the IOC are considering adding two more teams in Beijing in 2022 is fantastic news for the athletes and of course us as spectators too.”
Preview the ‘battle of the ages’ USA-Canada matchup here.
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MEN’S HOCKEY – NBCSN
Studio analyst Jeremy Roenick on Finnish ice hockey player Eeli Tolvanen: “I just love watching this kid play. He’s so smart. Moves around really well, and sees the ice really well. And he has got a blistering shot. Definitely one of the future stars of the National Hockey League.”
Analyst Pierre McGuire on Finland’s Jarno Koskiranta: “Jarno Koskiranta is probably the most underappreciated player on the Fins. He is big, he kills penalties, he wins faceoffs, and he helps them defend the lead. He is a tremendously important asset for them.”
Watch Canada advance on to the men’s hockey semifinals here.
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MEN’S HOCKEY – USA NETWORK
Studio analyst Jeremy Roenick on Germany’s OT victory over Sweden: “That is absolutely incredible. This is an upset of the ages, Germany over Sweden. This is bigger than the Slovakians beating the Russians that first game. This is unbelievable that they reach the medal rounds.”
Watch Germany defeat Sweden in overtime here.
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WOMEN’S SPEED SKATING – NBCSN
Analyst Joey Cheek on the woman’s team pursuit final between Japan and the Netherlands: “This is a matchup that has been more than a year in the making. The Japanese are the world-record holders in the team pursuit but they are against a team of all-stars. All three women on the Dutch team have won Olympic medals.”
Cheek on the U.S. earning bronze in the women’s pursuit finals: “I almost fell out of my chair. What a finish. Look how excited the U.S. team is, and, boy, they should be. They put in so much speed early in the race and hung on.”
Watch the U.S. women’s speed skating team win their first medal in 16 years here.
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WOMEN’S BOBSLED – NBCSN
Play-by-play commentator Leigh Diffey on American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor’s final run: “The 33-year-old from Douglasville, Georgia, says, ‘I’ve got plenty left in the tank and I’m going to leave here with a medal or not. I’m going to attack this track.’”
Diffey on Germany’s gold-clinching run to top the United States: “There is nothing in this. It’s tied at the moment. It’s not green or red, it’s white. What does it say at the line? And Germany steals the gold! Gold for Germany!”
Diffey on Germany’s bobsleigh success during these Games: “This hasn’t been the house of speed for Germany, this has been the house of gold.”
Watch Team USA’s Elana Meyers Taylor take home silver here.
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MEN’S CURLING – NBCSN
Play-by-play commentator Jason Knapp on the U.S.’s win over Great Britain to advance on to the semifinals: “The United States’ quest for a medal here in South Korea was on life support three days ago. It is beating now after three consecutive wins.”
Watch the U.S. defeat Great Britain 10-4 here.
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ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS
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— PYEONGCHANG 2018 —
