(All Times ET)
The “Press Pass” on the NBC Sports Group Press Box is a quick overview with upcoming program information and highlights from the Communications team. “The Pass” provides upcoming listings, and “The ‘Lights” details the programs.
THE PASS
Friday, March 29
7:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – Fight Night Future Stars
11:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – NHL Overtime
Saturday, March 30
1 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open
1:30 p.m. on NBC – Red Bull Signature Series: Ultra Natural
3 p.m. on NBC – PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open
3:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – MLS: Philadelphia at New York
6 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – Road to the Kentucky Derby: Florida and Louisiana Derby
7 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – College Lacrosse: Duke at Harvard
Sunday, March 31
12:30 p.m. on NBC – NHL: Chicago at Detroit
1 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open
3 p.m. on NBC – PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open
4 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – Rugby Sevens
7 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – NHL Live
7:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – NHL: Boston at Buffalo
Monday, April 1
6 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – The Crossover
6:30 p.m. – NHL Live
7:30 on NBC Sports Network – NHL: Colorado at Detroit
10 p.m. on Golf Channel – Feherty
11:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Network – NHL Overtime
THE ‘LIGHTS
PGA TOUR: SHELL HOUSTON OPEN
Golf Channel provides lead-in coverage of the Shell Houston Open Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET followed by coverage on NBC at 3 p.m. ET each day.
Lead commentator Dan Hicks and analyst Johnny Miller will be joined by Gary Koch and Peter Jacobsen, while Roger Maltbie, Mark Rolfing and Notah Begay will walk with the players on the course. Steve Sands will conduct player interviews.
RED BULL SIGNATURE SERIES: ULTRA NATURAL
Red Bull Signature Series presents Ultra Natural, an event that combines big mountain riding with a park style course. Todd Harris and Todd Richards call the action from Baldface Lodge in Nelson, British Columbia.
Hosted by Sal Masekela, the Red Bull Signature Series is an action sports property featuring some of the world’s most progressive and innovative snowboarding, surfing, mountain biking, skiing, BMX, wakeboarding and motorsports events.
NBC Sports Network’s coverage of Major League Soccer continues this weekend with an Eastern Conference match when the New York Red Bulls host the Philadelphia Union, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
NBC Sports Group’s MLS announce team of Arlo White (play-by-play), Kyle Martino (‘Between-the-Benches’) and Russ Thaler (analyst) will host coverage from Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: FLORIDA AND LOUISIANA DERBY
Live coverage of the Road to the Kentucky Derby™, a series of major prep races for the 2013 Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands, begins with the Florida Derby from Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., and the Louisiana Derby from Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La., this Saturday, 6-7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. The Road to the Kentucky Derby™ is a collaboration of The Jockey Club and the NBC Sports Group.
Laffit Pincay, III will host NBC Sports Network’s coverage this Saturday from Gulfstream Park. He will be joined by analyst Randy Moss; reporter Christina Blacker of HRTV; and NBC’s race-caller Larry Collmus. Katie Mikolay, in-house reporter for Fair Grounds Race Course, will report on the Louisiana Derby.
In addition to the two graded stakes races, NBC Sports Network coverage will include a feature on jockey Rosie Napravnik as she rides Breeder’s Cup Juvenile winner Shanghai Bobby, and seeks enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.
NBC Sports Network will continue its 2013 Rugby Sevens telecast season with two hours of coverage of the Tokyo Sevens tournament this Saturday at 3:30 p.m ET, from Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. Coverage will include full matches as well as highlights from the tournament.
The Tokyo Sevens tournament is the seventh of nine stops on the 2012-13 HSBC Sevens World Series. One of the premier Rugby Sevens events in the world, the Hong Kong Sevens will feature the USA Eagles and 15 other national teams competing to gain points in the Sevens World Series standings.
Veteran announcer Bill Seward will serve as the play-by-play announcer for the telecast. Seward will be joined in the booth by former USA Sevens captain and USA Rugby World Cup participant Brian Hightower.
NHL on NBC coverage will continue on Sunday, March 31 at 12:30 p.m. ET with a classic Central Division matchup between the league-leading Chicago Blackhawks (53pts), who started the season with a record-breaking 22-game point streak, and the Detroit Red Wings (39pts) who are currently in second place in the division. The Blackhawks and Red Wings have split their two previous meetings this season, with both games ending in 2-1 final scores. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’) will call the action from Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich.
Sunday night on NBC Sports Network, the Boston Bruins (46pts) will travel to the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY., to take on the Buffalo Sabres (31pts) at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Bruins are tied with the Canadiens for the top spot in the Northeast and will look to capitalize against the Sabres, who are struggling to remain in the playoff race. Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (‘Inside-the-Glass’) will call the game.
Monday, April 1, the Detroit Red Wings will host the Colorado Avalanche (26pts) at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. Emrick (play-by-play) and McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’) will call the game from Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich.