FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018
“WEDNESDAY NIGHT HOCKEY” BEGINS TONIGHT ON NBCSN!
Opening Night Doubleheader – Bruins-Capitals at 7:30 p.m. ET, Followed by Ducks-Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET
NHL Live to Originate On-Site from Capital One Arena; Coverage Begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN
“Erik Karlsson is going to be amazingly lethal.” – Pierre McGuire
Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick Narrates Introduction to Wednesday Night Hockey
STAMFORD, Conn. – October 3, 2018 – NBC Sports drops the puck on the 2018-19 NHL regular-season tonight on NBCSN, as Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals begin their title defense against Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins in the debut of Wednesday Night Hockey at 7:30 p.m. ET. Coverage continues at 10:30 p.m. ET, when Erik Karlsson makes his debut with the San Jose Sharks against Ryan Getzlaf and the Anaheim Ducks.
NHL Live hosted by Kathryn Tappen, analysts Keith Jones and Jeremy Roenick, and NHL insider Bob McKenzie, will originate on-site from outside Capital One Arena to capture the scene prior to the raising of Washington’s first-ever Stanley Cup championship banner. Click here for a preview of NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Hockey, and here to listen to Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick narrate the debut of WNH.
Emrick, who returns for his 14th season as NBC Sports’ lead NHL play-by-play commentator, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk and ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Brian Boucher will call Bruins-Capitals from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. John Forslund and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call of Ducks-Sharks from SAP Center at San Jose in California.
Wednesday Night Hockey will present some of the most intriguing matchups of the 2018-19 NHL regular-season in primetime throughout the year.
Following is tonight’s schedule:
| Date | Coverage | Network | Time (ET) |
| Wed., October 3 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 6 p.m. |
| Wednesday Night Hockey – Boston at Washington | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Wednesday Night Hockey – Anaheim at San Jose | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. | |
| NHL Overtime | NBCSN | 1 a.m.* |
*Immediately following game coverage
BRUINS-CAPITALS AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Washington Capitals return to the ice for the first time after vanquishing the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final to capture their first-ever title. Captain Alex Ovechkin embarks on his 14th season following a career year in 2017-18, as he led the NHL in both postseason (15) and regular-season goals (49). In addition, Ovechkin surpassed 600 goals for his career and became the second player in the “Expansion Era” to lead the NHL in goals at 32 years or older. Washington is now led by first-year head coach Todd Reirden, who replaced Barry Trotz following his resignation.
Led by Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, the Boston Bruins begin their season after falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Second Round of last year’s playoffs in five games. The Bruins have yet to advance past the Second Round since losing to the Blackhawks in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final. One of the most formidable lines in the league, Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak combined for 228 points, 99 goals and 129 assists last season. Pastrnak recorded a career-high 80 points and 35 goals in 82 games.
DUCKS-SHARKS AT 10:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
Anaheim finished second in the Pacific Division last season and qualified for the playoffs for the sixth straight year, tied with the Minnesota Wild for the second-longest active streak in the NHL. Rickard Rakell set a career-high in both points (69) and goals (34), while Getzlaf led the team with 50 assists.
Led by two-time Norris Trophy-winner Erik Karlsson, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Senators, the Sharks boast one of the league’s top defensive units. Karlsson and Brent Burns will become the ninth pair of Norris Trophy-winning defensemen to skate together on the same blue line. Karlsson and Burns were the only two defensemen in the league to lead their teams in scoring last year.
2018-19 REGULAR SEASON COVERAGE ON NBC & NBCSN
NBC Sports will deliver coverage of a record 109 regular-season games during 2018-19, beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, when Alex Ovechkin and the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals raise their championship banner to the rafters and host the Boston Bruins. All games will be streamed live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app to authenticated users via TV Everywhere.
Click here for more information on NBC Sports Group’s comprehensive NHL coverage this season.
STREAMING COVERAGE ON NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP
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 the 2018-19 NHL season via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value 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, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.
– NBC SPORTS –
