FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 19th, 2019

NBC SPORTS’ “PUSH FOR THE PLAYOFFS” FEATURES OVECHKIN AND CAPITALS THREE TIMES THIS WEEK, INCLUDING WEDNESDAY NIGHT HOCKEY CLASH VS. LEAGUE-LEADING LIGHTNING

Wednesday Night Hockey Doubleheader on NBCSN – Lightning-Capitals at 7:30 p.m. ET, Followed by Jets-Ducks at 10 p.m. ET

Star Sunday Presented by AT&T Doubleheader – Coverage of Flyers-Capitals Starts at 12 p.m. ET on NBC, Followed by Avalanche-Blackhawks at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Capitals Visit Devils Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

NBC Sports “Push For The Playoffs” Adds Avalanche-Blues and Bruins-Blue Jackets Games to NBCSN Schedule for Final Week of NHL Regular Season

NBC Sports’ 2018-19 NHL Regular-Season Viewership Up 4% vs. Last Season Across NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 19, 2019 – NBC Sports presents five NHL games on NBC and NBCSN this week as part of its “Push for the Playoffs,” featuring Alex Ovechkin and the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals three times, including the first game of a Wednesday Night Hockey doubleheader at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN against Steven Stamkos and the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning. Wednesday Night Hockey on NBCSN continues at 10 p.m. ET when Patrik Laine and the Winnipeg Jets visit Ryan Getzlaf and the Anaheim Ducks.

T.J. Oshie and the Caps will also square off against Claude Giroux and the Philadelphia Flyers on Star Sunday Presented by AT&T with coverage beginning at 12 p.m. ET on NBC. Star Sunday coverage shifts to NBCSN at 8 p.m. ET, when Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks host Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche.

The Capitals kick off their week on NBCSN tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET when they travel to New Jersey to face Nico Hischier and the Devils.

NBC SPORTS “PUSH FOR THE PLAYOFS” ADDS AVALANCHE-BLUES AND BRUINS-BLUE JACKETS GAMES TO NBCSN SCHEDULE FOR FINAL WEEK OF NHL REGULAR SEASON

NBC Sports has announced that it has added a pair of games to its schedule on NBCSN for the final week of the NHL regular season. The St. Louis Blues will host the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, April 1, at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and the Boston Bruins will visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, April 2, at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Additionally, NBC Sports has removed the Flames-Ducks game from NBCSN’s schedule on Wednesday, April 3. *Note – Bruins-Blue Jackets will be blacked out in the Boston market.

NBC SPORTS’ 2018-19 NHL REGULAR-SEASON VIEWERSHIP UP 4% VS. LAST SEASON ACROSS NBC, NBCSN, NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP

With less than three weeks remaining in the NHL regular season, NBC Sports viewership is showing year-over-year gains vs. last season. Through 97 games on NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, coverage of the 2018-19 NHL regular season has averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 431,000 viewers, up 4% vs. last season through the same number of games (413,000).

Through 10 games on NBC, regular-season coverage has averaged a TAD of 1.423 million viewers, up 6% vs. last season on NBC through 10 games (1.344 million).

Through 87 games on NBCSN, coverage of the 2018-19 NHL regular season has averaged a TAD of 312,000 viewers, up 3% vs. last season through the same number of games (304,000). This year, NBCSN introduced “Wednesday Night Hockey,” which featured NBC Sports’ most diverse schedule to date, showcasing a number of Canadian teams and doubleheaders with Western Conference matchups.

NBC Sports’ Flyers-Penguins overtime thriller on Star Sunday Presented by AT&T on NBCSN averaged a TAD of 727,000 viewers to rank as NBCSN’s second most-watched NHL game of the season behind last Sunday’s BOS-PHI matchup (733,000).

TAD measures consumption across multiple platforms, combining the average minute audience for television and digital.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT HOCKEY – LIGHTNING-CAPITALS – 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Tampa Bay (56-13-4) has clinched the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, currently 21 points ahead of the closest competitors (Boston and Calgary; 95 pts). The Lightning have won five straight games, including a 6-3 win against Washington on Saturday, as Alex Killorn netted a hat trick in the win for Tampa.

Washington (42-23-7, 91 pts) enters the week tied with the Islanders for the Metropolitan Division lead. Ovechkin netted his league-leading 47th and 48th goals of the season in the Capitals loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday.

John Forslund (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst), and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Kathryn Tappen alongside Mike Milbury, Keith Jones and Bob McKenzie.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT HOCKEY – JETS-DUCKS – 10 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Winnipeg (43-25-4, 90 pts) currently leads Nashville in the Central Division by three points following a 3-2 win against the Kings on Monday night. Anaheim (30-35-9, 69 pts) enters the week following back-to-back wins against Colorado and Florida. The Ducks beat the Panthers, 3-2, on Sunday, as Jakob Silfverberg netted the eventual game-winner with 4:43 remaining in the third period.

Alex Faust (play-by-play) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

STAR SUNDAY PRESENTED BY AT&T – FLYERS-CAPITALS – COVERAGE BEGINS AT 12 P.M. ET ON NBC

The Flyers (35-29-8, 78 pts) continue to battle for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, entering the week six points behind Columbus with 10 games remaining on their schedule. Philadelphia earned an important two points on Star Sunday on NBCSN last weekend, coming from behind to beat the Penguins, 2-1, in overtime. Claude Giroux, the featured Flyer, leads the team with 76 points (20g/56a) in 72 games.

This marks the third meeting between the Caps and Flyers this month. Washington won both matchups, by a score of 5-3 on March 6, and by a score of 5-2 on March 14. T.J. Oshie, the featured Capital, registered an assist in Washington’s 6-3 loss to Tampa on Sunday.

Six-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), Olczyk (analyst) and McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Washington D.C. Liam McHugh will anchor studio coverage alongside Milbury and Jones.

STAR SUNDAY PRESENTED BY AT&T – AVALANCHE-BLACKHAWKS – 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Colorado (31-29-12, 74 pts) currently sits four points behind Arizona for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and will face Minnesota (77 pts) in a matchup with playoff implications tonight. Nathan MacKinnon, the featured Avalanche player on Star Sunday, leads the team with 91 points (37g/54a) in 72 games.

Chicago (32-30-10, 74 pts) finds itself in the same position as Colorado, four points behind Arizona following a 3-2 overtime loss on Monday to Vancouver. Patrick Kane, the featured Blackhawk, is third in the league in both points (101) and goals (41).

Gord Miller (play-by-play) and Joe Micheletti (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from United Center in Chicago, Ill. Pre-game coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Tappen alongside Jones and Jeremy Roenick.

CAPITALS-DEVILS – TONIGHT AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

New Jersey (27-37-9, 63 pts) fell to Colorado on Sunday by a score of 3-0, following a 3-2 shootout win at Vancouver. Kyle Palmieri is the team’s leader in goals (27) and points (50). In their most recent matchup on March 8, Braden Holtby made 25 saves in Washington’s 3-0 shutout of the Devils.

John Walton (play-by-play) and AJ Mleczko (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Paul Burmeister alongside Jeremy Roenick and Anson Carter.

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Tues., March 19 NHL Live NBCSN 6:30 p.m.
Washington at New Jersey^ NBCSN 7:30 p.m.
NHL Overtime* NBCSN 10:15 p.m.
Wed., March 20 NHL Live NBCSN 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday Night Hockey – Tampa Bay at Washington NBCSN 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday Night Hockey – Winnipeg at Anaheim NBCSN 10 p.m.
NHL Overtime* NBCSN 12:45 a.m.
Sun., March 24 Star Sunday Presented by AT&T – Philadelphia at Washington NBC 12 p.m.
NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m.
Star Sunday Presented by AT&T – Colorado at Chicago NBCSN 8 p.m.
NHL Overtime* NBCSN 10:45 p.m.

*Immediately following game coverage
^subject to local blackout

 

2018-19 REGULAR SEASON COVERAGE ON NBC & NBCSN

NBC Sports will deliver coverage of a record 109 regular-season games during the 2018-19 season, highlighted by the debut of “Wednesday Night Hockey” on NBCSN, which will showcase the network’s most diverse schedule since it acquired NHL rights prior to the 2005-06 season, as well as NHL’s current and rising stars. 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 –