FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 4th, 2017

NBC SPORTS’ “PUSH FOR THE PLAYOFFS” FEATURES 8 GAMES IN 6 DAYS WITH STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS ON NBC AND NBCSN

“Push For The Playoffs” Includes Rangers-Capitals on NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Rivalry, Three Bruins Games, and Connor McDavid and Edmonton Oilers

NBCSN to Present “Whip-Around” Coverage of Final Night of Regular Season – Sunday, April 9 – With Live Look-Ins of Multiple Games Throughout The Program

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 4, 2017 – NBC Sports heads into the home stretch of its coverage of the NHL “Push For The Playoffs,” featuring eight games in six days, all with Stanley Cup Playoff implications on NBC and NBCSN. Nine NHL teams that have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs or are in position to qualify will be featured, including all four current division leaders.

On the final night of the NHL regular season, Sunday, April 9, NBCSN will showcase “whip-around” coverage at 7 p.m. ET, providing live look-ins across the slate of games with playoff implications. The program will also look ahead to first-round matchups as the playoff picture becomes clearer towards the end of the night.

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 all remaining NHL regular-season matchups.

Coverage begins with a doubleheader tonight at 7 p.m. ET, when Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins host Nikita Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning, with both teams battling to qualify for the playoffs. The Bruins can secure their first trip to the postseason since 2014 with a regulation win tonight.

The action shifts west at 10:30 p.m. ET, when Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings host Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, who are vying for their first division title in 30 years.

NBCSN’s Wednesday Night Rivalry on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET showcases Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals against Rick Nash and the New York Rangers, as Washington closes in on its second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy.

Thursday night features another NHL doubleheader, beginning at 7 p.m. ET, when the Bruins host Erik Karlsson and the Ottawa Senators, followed by a clash between Patrick Kane’s Chicago Blackhawks and Ryan Kesler’s Anaheim Ducks at 10 p.m. ET.

NBCSN will present an Atlantic Division clash between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Max Pacioretty and the Montreal Canadiens on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. NBC’s regular-season game coverage concludes with the NHL Game of the Week on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, featuring the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals.

Liam McHugh, Kathryn Tappen, and Paul Burmeister will anchor NHL Live pre- and post-game coverage throughout the week, joined by analysts and former players Keith Jones, Mike Milbury, Jeremy Roenick, and Anson Carter. Post-game coverage on NHL Overtime will air on NBCSN immediately following this week’s games.

LIGHTNING-BRUINS – TONIGHT AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The Lightning (39-29-10, 88 pts) are four points behind Boston for the second and final Wild Card spot in the East. Tampa Bay is coming off a 6-3 win against Dallas on Sunday, and has posted a 5-0-1 record in its last six games to stay in playoff contention. Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov is fourth in the NHL in goals (38).

The Bruins (43-30-6, 92 pts) can secure their first trip to the postseason since 2014 with a regulation win tonight. They are in the second Wild Card position in the East, and just one point back of Toronto for second in the Atlantic. Boston has won five consecutive games, including a 3-2 win against Chicago on the NBC NHL Game of the Week on Sunday, and can clinch a playoff spot tonight with a regulation win. Brad Marchand is tied for second in the league in goals (39), and recorded an assist in Sunday’s game. Boston has won three of four games against Tampa Bay this season, but the Lightning won the most recent matchup by a score of 6-3 on March 23.

Rick Peckham (play-by-play) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass analyst) will call the action from TD Garden in Boston, Mass.

OILERS-KINGS – TONIGHT AT 10:30 P.M. ET

Edmonton (44-25-9, 97 pts) has clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2006, and has posted a 9-1-0 record in its last 10 games. Connor McDavid leads the NHL with 94 points, seven points ahead of Chicago’s Patrick Kane, and factored on all three goals (1g/2a) in the Oilers’ 3-2 overtime win against Anaheim on Saturday. Edmonton is two points behind the Ducks with four games remaining in their schedule.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY – RANGERS-CAPITALS – WEDNESDAY AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Washington (52-18-8, 112 pts) is 8-1-1 in its last 10 games, and can clinch its second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy with a regulation or overtime win tonight and a Blue Jackets win. Washington can also secure the league’s top seed if they win in a shootout and Columbus does the same. The Caps beat the Blue Jackets 3-2 on Sunday, as Braden Holtby made 35 saves for his 41st win of the season, tied with Columbus’ Sergei Bobrovsky for the league lead.

New York (47-26-6, 100 pts) is essentially locked into the first Wild Card spot in the East, and is coming off a 4-3 win against Philadelphia on Sunday night, as Henrik Lundqvist made 20 saves in his fourth straight start since returning from injury. New York has won two of three games against Washington this season.

Four-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst), and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass analyst) will call Rangers-Capitals from Verizon Center in Washington D.C.

SENATORS-BRUINS – THURSDAY AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Ottawa (41-27-10, 92 pts) sits third in the Atlantic, tied with Boston at 92 points but with one game in hand, and one point back of Toronto. The Senators have won just twice in their last 10 games (2-5-3), and close the season with matchups against the Bruins, Rangers and Islanders – all teams in the playoff hunt. Defenseman Erik Karlsson leads the Senators with 70 points, and Ottawa has won all three of its games against Boston this season.

BLACKHAWKS-DUCKS – THURSDAY AT 10 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Chicago (50-22-7, 107 pts) has clinched home ice advantage throughout the playoffs in the Western Conference. Patrick Kane is second in the league in points (87) following his league-leading 106-point output last season.

Anaheim (43-23-13, 99 pts) currently holds a two-point advantage over Edmonton for the Pacific Division lead. Ryan Getzlaf leads the team with 68 points this season. Anaheim shut out the Blackhawks by a score of 1-0 on March 9 in Chicago.

John Ahlers (play-by-play) and Brian Hayward (analyst) will call the game from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

LIGHTNING-CANADIENS – FRIDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Montreal (46-24-9, 101 pts) clinched the Atlantic Division for the second time in three seasons last night after beating Florida 4-1. The Canadiens have won two of three games against Tampa Bay this season, including the most recent matchup last Saturday, a 2-1 overtime win.

Gord Miller (play-by-play) and Joe Micheletti (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will call the action from Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

NHL GAME OF THE WEEK – CAPITALS-BRUINS – SATURDAY AT 3 P.M. ET ON NBC

This marks the third and final meeting of the season between Washington and Boston. The Capitals won both previous encounters, including a 5-3 victory on February 1, as Nicklas Backstrom scored a goal and added two assists in the win. Saturday’s matchup could be a potential first-round preview, as the Capitals are likely to win the Eastern Conference, and the Bruins currently sit in the second Wild Card spot.

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick (play-by-play) and Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass analyst) will provide commentary from Boston.

WHIP-AROUND COVERAGE – FINAL NIGHT – SUNDAY AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

On the final night of the NHL regular season, NBCSN will showcase “whip-around” coverage at 7 p.m. ET, providing live look-ins across the slate of games with playoff implications. The program will also look ahead to first-round matchups as the playoff picture becomes clearer towards the end of the night.

Following is the remainder of NBC Sports’ NHL regular-season schedule:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Tues., April 4 NHL Live NBCSN 6:30 p.m.
  Tampa Bay at Boston^* NBCSN 7 p.m.
  Edmonton at Los Angeles^ NBCSN 10:30 p.m.
Wed., April 5 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m.
  Wednesday Night Rivalry – N.Y. Rangers at Washington NBCSN 8 p.m.
  NHL Overtime** NBCSN 10:30 p.m.
Thur., April 6 NHL Live NBCSN 6:30 p.m.
  Ottawa at Boston^* NBCSN 7 p.m.
  Chicago at Anaheim^* NBCSN 10 p.m.
Fri., April 7 NHL Live NBCSN 6:30 p.m.
  Tampa Bay at Montreal NBCSN 7:30 p.m.
  NHL Overtime** NBCSN 10 p.m.
Sat., April 8 Washington at Boston NBC 3 p.m.
Sun., April 9 Whip-Around Coverage of NHL Final Night NBCSN 7 p.m.

*subject to local blackout in Boston and Chicago
^flexed/added game
**immediately following game coverage

NHL 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 2016-17 NHL regular season 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.

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-NBC SPORTS GROUP-