FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 14th, 2015

DAY 30 – “NHL PLAYOFF PASS” – CONFERENCE FINALS START THIS WEEKEND ON NBC

Eastern Conference Final Game 1 – Lightning-Rangers – Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC

Western Conference Final Game 1 – Blackhawks-Ducks – Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC

Caps-Rangers Game 7 Is Highest-Rated NHL Game on NBCSN Ever in New York & Washington D.C., Third-Highest Rated Non-Stanley Cup Game Ever on NBCSN

Twitter Abuzz with Critical Acclaim of Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick During Game 7

Eastern and Western Conference Telecast and Game Commentary Schedules Announced

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 14, 2015 – On the heels of the New York Rangers’ dramatic Game 7 overtime win against the Washington Capitals last night on NBCSN – the highest-rated NHL game ever on NBCSN in the New York and Washington D.C. markets – the Eastern and Western Conference Finals begin this weekend with a pair of Game 1 matchups on NBC.

Coverage begins Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, when Henrik Lunqdvist and the Rangers host Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning. NBC will present Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, when Ryan Getzlaf and the Anaheim Ducks host Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks.

This weekend’s pre-game and intermission coverage on NBC will be hosted by Liam McHugh, alongside analysts and former players Mike Milbury and Keith Jones.

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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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NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will provide streaming coverage of games airing on call Eastern and Western Conference Final games via “TV Everywhere.”

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

 

THE PASS – SATURDAY, MAY 16-SUNDAY, MAY 17 (All times ET)

SATURDAY, MAY 16

Time Coverage Network Commentators
1 p.m. Game 1 – Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers NBC Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Pierre
McGuire
  NHL Live (Intermission Reports) NBC Liam McHugh, Mike
Milbury, Keith Jones

SUNDAY, MAY 17

3 p.m. Game 1 – Chicago at Anaheim NBC Kenny Albert, Joe Micheletti,
Brian Engblom
  NHL Live (Intermission Reports) NBC Liam McHugh, Mike
Milbury, Keith Jones

 

 

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL GAME 1 – LIGHTNING-RANGERS – SATURDAY AT 1 P.M. ET ON NBC

The Rangers and Lightning face off in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final this Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC. The Rangers reached the conference final with a dramatic Game 7 overtime victory over Washington on Wednesday night, as Derek Stepan scored midway into overtime to propel New York into the conference final.

The Lightning moved through the bracket with a second-round series victory against the Montreal Canadiens. Tampa Bay jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, and held off a charge after wins in Games 4 and 5 by Montreal, as Steven Stamkos netted the eventual game-winner in a 4-1 Game 6 win on Tuesday night in Tampa.

This series will feature familiar faces between the two teams. The Lightning roster includes former Rangers Brian Boyle and Anton Stralman, who helped New York advance to last year’s Stanley Cup Final. In addition, Lightning-Rangers features former team captains who were traded for each other last year – current Ranger and Lightning all-time leading scorer Martin St. Louis was swapped for Ryan Callahan. This will be the first time the Rangers and Lightning have met in the postseason. The Lightning swept the three-game regular-season series against the Rangers this year, outscoring New York 15-7 in the three victories.

Three-time Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator and Sports Illustrated 2014 Media Person of the Year Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick and Emmy Award-winning Inside-the-Glass analyst Pierre McGuire will call Game 1 from Madison Square Garden in New York.

 

 

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL GAME 1 – BLACKHAWKS-DUCKS – SUNDAY AT 3 P.M. ET ON NBC

The Blackhawks and Ducks meet in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, after both teams recorded quick second-round series wins. The Ducks advanced to the Western Conference Final with their Game 5 win last Sunday over the Calgary Flames, while the Blackhawks advanced in the bracket by completing a four-game sweep of the Minnesota Wild last Thursday.

Ducks forward Corey Perry currently leads the NHL in postseason scoring with 15 points (7g/8a), despite playing in just nine games through the first two rounds. Chicago’s Patrick Kane ranks second in the league with 13 points (7g/6a). Chicago has appeared in three consecutive Western Conference Finals, while the Ducks reach the conference final for the first time since 2007, when they defeated the Red Wings on their way to a Stanley Cup victory against Ottawa.

This series also marks the first time the Blackhawks and Ducks will meet in the postseason. The Blackhawks won two of three matchups against the Ducks this year, including a pair of 4-1 victories in Anaheim.

Kenny Albert (play-by-play), Joe Micheletti (analyst) and Brian Engblom (Inside-the-Glass analyst) will have the call for Game 1 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

 


CAPS-RANGERS GAME 7 IS HIGHEST-RATED NHL GAME ON NBCSN EVER IN NEW YORK & WASHINGTON D.C., THIRD-HIGHEST RATED NON-STANLEY CUP GAME ON NBCSN

NBCSN’s presentation of Game 7 between the Capitals and Rangers was the highest-rated NHL game ever on NBCSN in the New York and Washington D.C. markets, delivering local market ratings of 9.3 in New York and 7.9 in Washington, respectively.

Nationally, the Rangers’ 2-1 overtime win produced a 2.30 overnight rating, the highest overnight of the 2015 playoffs on NBC/NBCSN/USA Network/CNBC, and the third-highest rated NHL game ever on NBCSN, excluding Stanley Cup Final games (LA-CHI 2014 WCF Game 7, 3.17; DET-CHI Round 2 Game 7, 2.60).

 

 

TWITTER ABUZZ WITH CRITICAL ACCLAIM OF MIKE ‘DOC’ EMRICK DURING GAME 7

The Twittersphere applauded Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, who recently won his third Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality – Play-by-Play in five years, for his call of last night’s dramatic Game 7 between the Rangers and Capitals. Doc Emrick was trending on Twitter in New York last night during his call of overtime. Following are critical acclaim tweets for Emrick:

 

@JimMiller: “Doc. There is no substitute. #Game7

@MMcCarthyREV: “Doc Emrick of @NBCSports is Vin Scully of hockey.”

@PaulPabst: “Thesaurus uses Doc Emrick.”

@RichEisen: “The annual reminder to all who somehow need it that Doc Emrick is as good as they’ve ever come in the booth.”

@PatForde: “’@SteveRushin: I would like Doc Emrick to call my own sudden death.’ Would undoubtedly add drama to your demise.”

@DarrenRovell: “Only thing more remarkable than Mel Kiper Jr not going to the bathroom during draft? How Doc Emrick calls games w/o oxygen.”

@WesDurham: “If you want to hear the ‘art of play-by-play,’ dial up Doc Emrick in Game 7.”

@MacFarlaneNews: “I’d watch a game of checkers…if Mike Emrick handled the TV play-by-play.”

 

 

EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE TELECAST AND GAME COMMENTARY SCHEDULES ANNOUNCED

Following are the telecast and game commentary schedules for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, subject to change:

 

SATURDAY, MAY 16

Time (ET) Coverage Network Commentators
1 p.m. Game 1 – Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers NBC Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Pierre
McGuire

SUNDAY, MAY 17

3 p.m. Game 1 – Chicago at Anaheim NBC Kenny Albert, Joe Micheletti,
Brian Engblom

MONDAY, MAY 18

8 p.m. Game 2 – Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie
Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

TUESDAY, MAY 19

9 p.m. Game 2 – Chicago at Anaheim NBCSN Kenny Albert, Joe Micheletti,
Brian Engblom

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20

8 p.m. Game 3 – N.Y. Rangers at Tampa Bay NBCSN John Forslund, Eddie Olczyk,
Pierre McGuire

THURSDAY, MAY 21

8 p.m. Game 3 – Anaheim at Chicago NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

FRIDAY, MAY 22

8 p.m. Game 4 – N.Y. Rangers at Tampa Bay NBCSN Kenny Albert, Joe Micheletti,
Brian Engblom

SATURDAY, MAY 23

8 p.m. Game 4 – Anaheim at Chicago NBC Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

SUNDAY, MAY 24

8 p.m. Game 5 – Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers* NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

MONDAY, MAY 25

9 p.m. Game 5 – Chicago at Anaheim* NBCSN Kenny Albert, Joe Micheletti, Brian Engblom

TUESDAY, MAY 26

8 p.m. Game 6 – N.Y. Rangers at Tampa Bay* NBCSN TBD

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27

8 p.m. Game 6 – Anaheim at Chicago* NBCSN Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

FRIDAY, MAY 29

8 p.m. Game 7 – Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers* NBCSN TBD

SATURDAY, MAY 30

8 p.m. Game 7 – Chicago at Anaheim* NBCSN TBD

 *if necessary

 

GAMES TELEVISED SO FAR

For the fourth consecutive year, NBC, NBCSN, USA Network, CNBC and NHL Network are combining to televise every Stanley Cup Playoff game nationally.

 

Network Games
NBC 9
NBCSN 41
USA Network 8
CNBC 10
NHL-N 1
Total 69

 

One-goal Games: 37

OT games: 15

 


COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE

Comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided daily via NBC Sports Regional Networks, available in more than 50 million U.S. households. Comcast SportsNet Chicago will provide the hometown fans of the Chicago Blackhawks with comprehensive coverage throughout their Stanley Cup Playoff run, including pre- and post-game shows and extensive on-line coverage via Comcast SportsNet’s team of NHL Insiders.


NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
COVERAGE

NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will stream comprehensive coverage of games airing on NBC, NBCSN, USA Network and CNBC 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. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play and Windows Store.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

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