FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 1st, 2019

NBC SPORTS’ “PUSH FOR THE PLAYOFFS” FEATURES FOUR NHL GAMES WITH STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS THIS WEEK ON NBCSN

Tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN – Colorado Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues

Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN – Boston Bruins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Wednesday Night Hockey at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN – St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks

NBC Sports Adds Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals to NBCSN Schedule on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 1, 2019 – NBC Sports’ “Push for the Playoffs” features four games on NBCSN in the final week of the NHL regular season with playoff implications, beginning tonight at 8 p.m. ET with two of the league’s hottest teams, when Vladimir Tarasenko and the St. Louis Blues host Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche.

The “Push for the Playoffs” on NBCSN continues Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET, as Cam Atkinson and the Columbus Blue Jackets look for their sixth consecutive victory when they face Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins.

This week’s Wednesday Night Hockey showdown at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN features a classic Central Division rivalry, as the Blues travel to Chicago to face Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks.

Thursday night’s coverage on NBCSN will feature a crucial Eastern Conference clash between Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals and Carey Price and the Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m. ET.

Avs-Blues, Bruins-Blue Jackets and Canadiens-Capitals are all late season additions to NBC Sports’ NHL regular-season schedule on NBCSN as part of its “Push for the Playoffs.” When NBC Sports announced its 2018-19 NHL schedule, the majority of the final week of the regular season on NBCSN was left open to allow for the biggest games with playoff implications to be added.

AVALANCHE-BLUES – TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Colorado (36-29-13, 85 pts) is 6-0-1 in its last seven games and holds the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, one point ahead of Arizona (84 pts) for the final playoff position in the West. The Avs earned a crucial 3-2 shootout win against Arizona on Friday, as Nathan MacKinnon scored his team-leading 39th goal and netted the only tally in the shootout.

St. Louis (42-28-8, 92 pts) is 6-1-1 in its last eight games, has clinched a playoff spot and remains in contention for the Central Division title. The Blues are in third place in the Central, two points behind the Jets and Predators who are tied for first with 94 points. St. Louis is coming off a 3-2 overtime win in New Jersey on Saturday, as Vince Dunn scored the game-winner with three seconds left in the extra session. The Blues have won all three prior matchups against the Avs this season.

Chris Cuthbert (play-by-play) and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo. Pre-game coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Kathryn Tappen alongside analysts Jeremy Roenick and Anson Carter.

BRUINS-BLUE JACKETS – TUESDAY AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Boston (47-23-9, 103 pts) has clinched a playoff spot and is currently battling with Toronto (97 pts) for second place in the Atlantic Division and home-ice advantage in their likely first-round series with the Maple Leafs. The Bruins have lost their last two games, including a 6-3 loss to Detroit on Star Sunday Presented by AT&T on NBCSN. Brad Marchand leads Boston with 98 points and scored his 35th goal in Sunday’s loss to Detroit.

Columbus (45-30-4, 94 pts) looks to continue its playoff push, riding a five-game winning streak into its matchup against Boston. The Blue Jackets now hold the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of Carolina (93 pts) and two points clear of Montreal (92 pts). Columbus beat Buffalo, 4-0, on Sunday, as Sergei Bobrovsky made 38 saves to record his league-leading ninth shutout.

Kenny Albert (play-by-play) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Paul Burmeister alongside analysts Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT HOCKEY – BLUES-BLACKHAWKS AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Chicago (34-33-11, 79 pts) enters the final week of the regular season clinging to its slim playoff hopes, trailing Colorado by six points with four games remaining. The Blackhawks fell to the Kings in overtime, 3-2, on Saturday, despite Alex DeBrincat’s 41st goal of the season. Chicago hosts Winnipeg tonight. This is the first meeting between the Blues and Blackhawks since Nov. 14 on Wednesday Night Hockey, when Corey Crawford made 28 saves in a 1-0 win for Chicago.

Six-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst), and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from United Center in Chicago, Ill. Pre-game coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Liam McHugh alongside analysts Mike Milbury and Keith Jones.

CANADIENS-CAPITALS – THURSDAY AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Montreal (42-29-8, 92 pts) is battling with Columbus and Carolina for the two Wild Card spots in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens begin the week two points behind Columbus (94 pts) and one point behind Carolina (93 pts). Montreal defeated Winnipeg, 3-1, on Saturday night, as Carey Price made 23 saves in the win for the Canadiens.

Washington (47-24-8, 102 pts) has clinched a playoff berth, leads the Islanders (99 pts) by three points in the Metropolitan Division, and is coming off a 6-3 win over the league-leading Lightning on Saturday. Alex Ovechkin netted his league-best 50th and 51st goals of the season in the victory.

John Walton (play-by-play) and Joe Micheletti (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Pre-game coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Burmeister alongside Roenick and Carter.

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Mon., April 1 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m.
Colorado at St. Louis NBCSN 8 p.m.
NHL Overtime* NBCSN 10:45 p.m.
Tues., April 2 NHL Live NBCSN 6:30 p.m.
Boston at Columbus^ NBCSN 7 p.m.
NHL Overtime* NBCSN 9:45 p.m.
Wed., April 3 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m.
Wednesday Night Hockey – St. Louis at Chicago NBCSN 8 p.m.
NHL Overtime* NBCSN 10:45 p.m.
Thur., April 4 NHL Live NBCSN 6 p.m.
Montreal at Washington^ NBCSN 7 p.m.
NHL Overtime* NBCSN 9:45 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 –