FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 26th, 2019

NBC SPORTS’ EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE OF SECOND ROUND OF STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND WITH SIX GAMES ON NBC AND NBCSN

Game 1 Doubleheader Tonight on NBCSN –  Carolina-N.Y. Islanders at 7 p.m. ET, Followed by Colorado-San Jose at 10 p.m. ET

Saturday on NBC – Game 2 of Dallas-St. Louis at 3 p.m. ET, Followed by Game 2 of Columbus-Boston at 8 p.m. ET

Sunday – Game 2 of Islanders-Hurricanes at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, Followed by Game 2 of Colorado-San Jose at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

NBC Sports’ Coverage of 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round is Most Watched in 25 Years and Second-Best on Record

Last Night’s Game 1 Doubleheader Overnight Rating on NBCSN Up 28% vs. 2018

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 26, 2019 – NBC Sports’ exclusive coverage of the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs continues this weekend with six games on NBC and NBCSN, beginning tonight with a Game 1 doubleheader on NBCSN starting at 7 p.m. ET, when Justin Williams and the Carolina Hurricanes face Jordan Eberle and the New York Islanders. John Forslund (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst), and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Coverage shifts west at 10 p.m. ET, as Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche take on Erik Karlsson and the San Jose Sharks in Game 1 of their Second Round series. Brendan Burke (play-by-play), Joe Micheletti (analyst), and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire, (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from SAP Center in San Jose.

Pre-game coverage begins tonight on NBCSN at 6:30 p.m. ET with 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.

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“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.

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THE PASS – FRIDAY, APRIL 26 – SUNDAY, APRIL 28 (All Times ET)

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

Time Coverage Network Commentators
6:30 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Kathryn Tappen, Jeremy Roenick, Patrick Sharp
7 p.m. Game 1 – Carolina at N.Y. Islanders NBCSN John Forslund, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher
10 p.m. Game 1 – Colorado at San Jose NBCSN Brendan Burke, Joe Micheletti, Pierre McGuire

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

NHL Live (Intermission Reports) NBC Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Patrick Sharp
3 p.m. Game 2 – Dallas at St. Louis NBC Kenny Albert, AJ Mlezcko, Pierre McGuire
NHL Live (Intermission Reports) NBC Liam McHugh, Keith Jones, Eddie Olczyk
8 p.m. Game 2 – Columbus at Boston NBC Mike “Doc” Emrick, Mile Milbury, Brian Boucher

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

NHL Live (Intermission Reports) NBC Liam McHugh, Keith Jones, Patrick Sharp
3 p.m. Game 2 – Carolina at N.Y. Islanders NBC John Forslund, Brian Boucher, Eddie Olczyk
6:30 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Kathryn Tappen, Jeremy Roenick, Patrick Sharp
7:30 p.m. Game 2 – Colorado at San Jose NBCSN Brendan Burke, Joe Micheletti, Pierre McGuire

 

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

 

TONIGHT – APRIL 26

Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Game 1 between the N.Y. Islanders and the Hurricanes in their first-ever postseason meeting. The Hurricanes advanced to the Second Round after defeating the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, 4-3, in double-overtime in Game 7 on Wednesday. Jaccob Slavin led Carolina in the series with nine points.

The Islanders were one of the first teams to advance to the Second Round of the playoffs with their four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Forward Jordan Eberle scored in all four games against the Penguins in the First Round. Game 1 will be at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which will host the Islanders’ remaining playoff games following their First Round home games at Nassau Coliseum.

Game coverage shifts to San Jose for Game 1 of the Sharks’ series vs. the Avalanche at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Colorado will face San Jose in the playoffs for the first time since 2010. The Avalanche won four straight First Round games to upset the top-seeded Calgary Flames after a loss in Game 1. Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen led the Avalanche during the First Round, combining for 21 points (9g/12a) in five games.

San Jose advanced to the Second Round following a thrilling 5-4 Game 7 overtime win against Vegas, completing their comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. This is the Sharks’ second straight Second Round appearance, and their third in four seasons. Erik Karlsson led San Jose in the First Round with nine points each.


SATURDAY – APRIL 27

Coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on NBC with Dallas and St. Louis in Game 2 of their Second Round series. Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice for the Blues in a 3-2 Game 1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

NBC’s primetime coverage continues at 8 p.m. ET as Boston hosts Columbus for Game 2 of the best-of-7 series. Boston took a 1-0 series lead on Thursday night, as Charlie Coyle scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Bruins a 3-2 victory over the Blue Jackets.


SUNDAY – APRIL 28

NBC’s coverage continues Sunday at 3 p.m. with Game 2 of the Hurricanes-Islanders Second Round series at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Coverage again shifts west at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN as the Avalanche face the Sharks at SAP Center in San Jose.


FIRST ROUND CABLE COVERAGE IS MOST WATCHED IN 25 YEARS AND SECOND-BEST ON RECORD

On the strength of 10 overtime games, three Game 7s and two improbable sweeps, NBC Sports’ presentation of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs across the networks of NBCUniversal delivered the most-watched First Round in seven years, according to Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics. First Round coverage across NBC Sports’ cable platforms produced the most-watched First Round on cable in 25 years and ranks as the second-best First Round on cable on record (since 1994). The First Round milestones were punctuated by three Game 7s, including Wednesday’s Hurricanes-Capitals series finale on NBCSN, which is now the most-watched First Round cable game on record.

Across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, USA Network, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app, the 45 Stanley Cup Playoff First Round games averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 778,000 viewers, making it the most-watched First Round in seven years (2012; 936,000), NBC Sports’ third-most watched First Round ever (since 2006), and up one percent vs. last year (769,000). Click here for more info.

Additionally, last night’s Game 1 CBJ-BOS and DAL-STL doubleheader on NBCSN averaged a 1.09 overnight rating, up 28% vs. last year’s Second Round opening night (4/26/18; 0.86). More Second Round ratings notes from Thursday:

  • CBJ-BOS Game 1 on NBCSN produced a 1.22 overnight rating, the highest overnight for a Second Round opening night game in five years (MTL-BOS, 1.43, 2 OT), and up 15% vs. PIT-WSH last year (1.06);
  • DAL-STL Game 1 on NBCSN produced a 0.92 overnight rating, up 42% vs. last year’s comparable Game 1 (SJ-VGK, 0.65);
  • Locally, CBJ-BOS delivered an 8.3 local rating in Columbus, the best-ever rating for a Blue Jackets game on an NBCU network in the Columbus market. Boston delivered an 11.7 rating, up 14% vs. comparable 2018 Second Round games;
  • Locally, DAL-STL delivered a 12.5 local rating in St. Louis, up 39% vs. comparable 2017 Second Round games. Dallas registered a 3.1 local rating, up 15% vs. comparable Second Round 2016 games.

Following is NBC Sports Group’s Stanley Cup Playoffs second-round schedule through Friday, May 3:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Fri., April 26 Game 1 – Carolina at N.Y. Islanders NBCSN 7 p.m.
Fri., April 26 Game 1 – Colorado at San Jose NBCSN 10 p.m.
Sat., April 27 Game 2 – Dallas at St. Louis NBC 3 p.m.
Sat., April 27 Game 2 – Columbus at Boston NBC 8 p.m.
Sun., April 28 Game 2 – Carolina at N.Y. Islanders NBC 3 p.m.
Sun., April 28 Game 2 – Colorado at San Jose NBCSN 7:30 p.m.
Mon., April 29 Game 3 – St. Louis at Dallas NBCSN 8 p.m.
Tues., April 30 Game 3 – Boston at Columbus NBCSN 7 p.m.
Tues., April 30 Game 3 – San Jose at Colorado NBCSN 10 p.m.
Wed., May 1 Game 3 – N.Y. Islanders at Carolina NBCSN 7 p.m.
Wed., May 1 Game 4 – St. Louis at Dallas NBCSN 9:30 p.m.
Thurs., May 2 Game 4 – Boston at Columbus NBCSN 7:30 p.m.
Thurs., May 2 Game 4 – San Jose at Colorado NBCSN 10 p.m.
Fri., May 3 Game 4 – N.Y. Islanders at Carolina NBCSN 7 p.m.
Fri., May 3 Game 5 – Dallas at St. Louis* NBCSN 9:30 p.m.

*if necessary

 

COMPREHENSIVE BRUINS AND SHARKS LOCAL COVERAGE ON NBC SPORTS BOSTON AND NBC SPORTS CALIFORNIA

NBC Sports Boston and NBC Sports California will provide comprehensive local multi-platform coverage for the Boston Bruins’ and San Jose Sharks’ Second Round Stanley Cup Playoff series.

NBC Sports Boston will offer live post-game shows and analysis throughout the Bruins-Blue Jackets Second Round series. Michael Felger, along with former NHL player Tony Amonte and U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Olympic Gold Medalist Meghan Duggan will headline postgame coverage. NBCSB Bruins Insider Joe Haggerty will weigh in from on-site at the arena throughout the series. NBCSB’s daily programming, including Early Edition, Boston Sports Tonight, and simulcasts of The Sports Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand & Felger and Mazz Shows will also provide in-depth coverage throughout the series. The My Teams app will offer the postgame show streamed live as well as additional extensive Bruins coverage.

NBC Sports California’s comprehensive coverage of Sharks-Avalanche is highlighted by live game-day coverage on Sharks Playoff Live and Sharks Morning Skate. Sharks Playoff Live will provide viewers with analysis and interviews before and after every game. Sharks Morning Skate – a live multiplatform game-day show hosted by Sharks announcers and analysts – will be presented throughout the Sharks-Avalanche series on Facebook Live. The shows will be anchored by 13-time regional Emmy Award-winner Brodie Brazil, 12-year NHL veteran Curtis Brown and former Sharks right wing Devin Setoguchi (home games), with additional analysis provided by the Sharks broadcast team: Randy Hahn, Jamie Baker and Bret Hedican.

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.


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 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–