FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 10th, 2019

DAY 1 – NBC SPORTS GROUP’S COVERAGE OF 2019 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS BEGINS TONIGHT WITH FIVE GAMES

Game 1 Doubleheader on NBCSN – (3) Penguins-(2) Islanders at 7:30 p.m. ET, Followed by (3) Golden Knights-(2) Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET

Game 1 Doubleheader on USA Network – (WC2) Blue Jackets-(1) Lightning at 7 p.m. ET, Followed by (WC1) Stars-(1) Predators at 9:30 p.m. ET

(3) Blues-(2) Jets – Tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NHL Network

Tonight’s Pre-Game Coverage Begins with Special 90-Minute Edition of NHL Live at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Jeremy Roenick Hosts “Pick Your Poison” NBC Sports Digital Shorts with NHL Stars Including Henrik Lundqvist, Patrick Kane and Auston Matthews

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 10, 2019 – NBC Sports Group’s comprehensive coverage of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs starts tonight with five Game 1 matchups, highlighted by doubleheaders on NBCSN and USA Network to kick off two months of Stanley Cup Playoff hockey – and “There’s Nothing Like Playoff Hockey.”

Tonight’s coverage on NBCSN begins at 7:30 p.m. ET, when the (2) New York Islanders host the (3) Pittsburgh Penguins. Coverage continues on NBCSN at 10:30 p.m. ET, when the (3) Vegas Golden Knights face the (2) San Jose Sharks.

USA Network’s Stanley Cup Playoff coverage begins tonight at 7 p.m. ET with Game 1 between the (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets and (1) Tampa Bay Lightning and continues at 9:30 p.m. ET with Game 1 between the (WC1) Dallas Stars and (1) Nashville Predators. NHL Network will present Game 1 coverage of the (3) St. Louis Blues and (2) Winnipeg Jets at 8 p.m. ET.

Pre-game coverage begins tonight at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN with a special 90-minute edition of NHL Live.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and Connected TVs – will live stream all games airing on NBC, NBCSN, USA Network, and CNBC, via “TV Everywhere” throughout the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

******************************************************************************

“NHL Playoff Pass” on NBC Sports Group Press Box provides a quick daily overview of Stanley Cup Playoff coverage, plus information and highlights. The Pass will be published weekdays to preview that evening’s games. Friday editions will include weekend information.

******************************************************************************

THE PASS – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 (All times ET)

Time Coverage Network Commentators
6 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Liam McHugh, Eddie Olczyk,
Keith Jones
7 p.m. Game 1 – (WC2) Columbus at (1) Tampa Bay USA Network John Forslund,
Pierre McGuire
  NHL Live (Intermission Reports) USA Network Kathryn Tappen, Jeremy
Roenick, Anson Carter
7:30 p.m. Game 1 – (3) Pittsburgh at (2) N.Y. Islanders NBCSN Kenny Albert, AJ Mleczko,
Brian Boucher
8 p.m. Game 1 – (3) St. Louis at (2) Winnipeg NHL Network Dave Randorf, Louie
DeBrusk, Scott Oake
9:30 p.m. Game 1 – (WC1) Dallas at (1) Nashville USA Network Chris Cuthbert,
Joe Micheletti
10:30 p.m. Game 1 – (3) Vegas at (2) San Jose NBCSN Alex Faust, Mike Johnson

 

For more information on NBC Sports Group’s overall Stanley Cup Playoff coverage, please click here. 

 

TONIGHT – APRIL 10 – NHL LIVE BEGINS AT 6 P.M ET ON NBCSN

NHL Live, featuring Liam McHugh, Keith Jones and Eddie Olczyk, begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Kathryn Tappen, Jeremy Roenick and Anson Carter will anchor USA Network’s studio coverage throughout the Blue Jackets-Lightning and Stars-Predators games.

(WC2) COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS AT (1) TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – GAME 1 AT 7 P.M. ET ON USA NETWORK

Tampa Bay won the Presidents’ Trophy with an impressive 62-16-4 record this year (128 points), tying the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings for the most wins in a single season. Nikita Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy with a league-leading 128 points, the most by any player in 23 years. The Blue Jackets won seven of their last eight games to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season. Columbus is the only team in the NHL that has not won a playoff series. Cam Atkinson led the Blue Jackets with 41 goals this season. The Lightning went 3-0-0 vs. the Blue Jackets this season, outscoring them 17-3.


(3) PITTSBURGH PENGUINS AT (2) NEW YORK ISLANDERS – GAME 1 AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The Islanders and Penguins clash in the postseason for the first time since 2013, when the Penguins defeated the Islanders in six games. New York allowed the fewest goals in the NHL this season (191) under head coach Barry Trotz, who helmed Washington to its Stanley Cup title last year. Anders Lee led the team with 28 goals. Pittsburgh has reached the postseason for the 13th consecutive season, the longest active streak in the NHL. Sidney Crosby reached the 100-point plateau this season (35g/65a) for the Penguins, who lost to the Capitals in the Second Round of last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Isles and Penguins split their four games this season, each going 2-1-1.


(3) ST. LOUIS BLUES AT (2) WINNIPEG JETS – GAME 1 AT 8 P.M. ET ON NHL NETWORK

The Blues shook off a slow start to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs, posting a 38-19-6 record after interim head coach Craig Berube took over in late November. St. Louis’ second-half surge was led by rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington, who made his first NHL start on Jan. 7 and proceeded to go 24-5-1 this season. The Jets return to the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history, following their loss to Vegas in last year’s Western Conference Final. Jets captain Blake Wheeler led the team with 91 points. Winnipeg held a 31-15-2 record at the All-Star break, but went just 16-15-3 through the end of the regular season. The Jets went 3-1-0 against the Blues this season.


(WC1) DALLAS STARS AT (1) NASHVILLE PREDATORS – GAME 1 AT 9:30 P.M. ET ON USA NETWORK

Dallas reached the playoffs for the third time in the last 11 years due in large part to its defense, allowing the second-fewest goals per-game this season (2.44). Veteran goaltender Ben Bishop led the NHL in save percentage (.934) and went 8-1-0 with four shutouts during the final month of the season. Nashville rode a late surge (8-2-1 in its last 11 games) to win the Central Division on the final day of the regular season. The Predators have reached the playoffs in five consecutive seasons and lost to the Jets in the Second Round in 2018. Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne reached 30 wins for the eighth time in his career. Nashville held a slight 3-2-0 series edge this season.


(3) VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS AT (2) SAN JOSE SHARKS – GAME 1 AT 10:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Vegas and San Jose clash in the playoffs for the second consecutive season, following the Golden Knights’ win over the Sharks in six games in the Second Round last year. Vegas returns to the playoffs in its second season following its magical run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2018. The Golden Knights acquired forward Mark Stone from Ottawa at the trade deadline and went 11-6-2 following his arrival. San Jose has reached the playoffs in 14 of the last 15 seasons, but slowed down the stretch, going 3-8-1 to close the regular season. Brent Burns led all NHL defensemen with a career-high 83 points.


JEREMY ROENICK HOSTS “PICK YOUR POISON” NBC SPORTS DIGITAL SHORTS WITH NHL STARS, INCLUDING HENRIK LUNDQVIST, PATRICK KANE AND AUSTON MATTHEWS

NBC Sports has released “Pick Your Poison,” a series of digital shorts hosted by Jeremy Roenick where NHL stars have to make their picks on a variety of topics. Following are the stars that are featured in the “Pick Your Poison” series:

The “Pick Your Poison” episodes with Lundqvist, Giroux, Kane and O’Reilly are linked above. The episodes with Pavelski, Atkinson, and Matthews will be released during the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

NBC SPORTS RADIO ANNOUNCES FIRST ROUND BROADCAST SCHEDULE

In conjunction with Westwood One, NBC Sports Radio will broadcast game coverage of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including every game of the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final. First Round coverage begins Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. ET with Game 1 of the Blue Jackets-Lightning Series. Following is NBC Sports Radio and Westwood One’s First Round broadcast schedule:

Date Coverage Time (ET) Commentators
Wed., April 10 Game 1 – (WC2) Columbus at (1) Tampa Bay 6:45 p.m. Steve Goldstein, Kelly Chase
Mon., April 15 Game 3 – (1) Nashville at (WC1) Dallas 9:15 p.m. Ralph Strangis, Colby Cohen
Thur., April 18 Game 5 – (3) Vegas at (2) San Jose TBD Ralph Strangis, Jim Fox
Sat., April 20 Game 5 – (WC1) Carolina at (1) Washington TBD Sam Rosen, Billy Jaffe

 

NBCSPORTS.COM STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB SERVES AS HOME FOR SCORES, SCHEDULES AND HIGHLIGHTS

The Stanley Cup Playoff Hub on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will be the home for everything fans need to know about the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Stanley Cup Playoff Hub will feature up-to-the-minute scores, updated schedules, and highlights following the conclusion of each game.

In addition, ProHockeyTalk on NBCSports.com will provide previews and recaps throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. ProHockeyTalk writers Sean Leahy, James O’Brien, Adam Gretz and Scott Billeck will deliver comprehensive coverage for the postseason. Following each night’s games, The Buzzer will recap the action and top moments of the evening around the league. Each morning, The Wraparound will set the table for that night’s slate of games.


COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE ON NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS

Through the NBC Sports Regional Networks, comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided daily via NBC Sports Regional Networks, available in more than 35 million U.S. households. NBC Sports Regional Networks serve the hometown fans of the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals, with first-round game coverage, pre- and post-game shows, and extensive on-line coverage via NBC Sports’ team of NHL Insiders.

For teams that advance past the first round, NBC Sports Regional Networks will deliver extensive pre- and post-game coverage as well as breaking news and analysis throughout each team’s playoff run.


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 Stanley Cup Playoffs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to 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 GROUP–