FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 23rd, 2018

2018 PYEONGCHANG OLYMPICS – FEB. 23 DAYTIME HIGHLIGHTS ON THE NETWORKS OF NBCUNIVERSAL

“If you had told me that Germany would be in the finals, I would have thought you were absolutely totally crazy.” – Jeremy Roenick on Germany advancing to the gold medal men’s hockey game

 

“There is no question this is going to be one of the most talked about curling Olympics ever” – Bill Doleman

 

NBC’s Primetime Coverage, Live Across All Time Zones, Begins at 8 p.m. ET Tonight Featuring Red Gerard & Shani Davis

Team USA and Sweden Clash in the Men’s Curling Gold Medal Final Tonight at 1 a.m. ET Live on NBCSN

All Events Live Streamed on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app

 

STAMFORD, Conn. – February 23, 2018 – Tonight’s primetime coverage of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games from PyeongChang, South Korea, is highlighted by:

 

  • NBC’s primetime presentation, which begins at 8 p.m. ET live across all time zones, featuring the Olympic debut of men’s big air in snowboarding, as Team USA’s Red Gerard looks to follow up his gold medal from earlier in the Games*;

 

  • The Olympic debut of the alpine skiing team event live on NBC in primetime, as nations compete in a bracket-style format featuring head-to-head slalom races*;

 

  • The men’s 1000m in speed skating, as two-time Olympic gold medalist Shani Davis and U.S. teammate Joey Mantia take on the dominant Dutch team;

 

  • Live coverage of the men’s curling gold medal game late Friday night at 1 a.m. ET/10 p.m. PT on NBCSN, as John Shuster and Team USA battle Sweden in search of the first Olympic gold medal in curling in U.S. history.

 

*outdoor events subject to weather conditions

 

Click here for a preview of tonight’s primetime action.

 

Following are highlights from today’s coverage of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics on NBC and the networks of NBCUniversal:

 

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MEN’S HOCKEY – NBCSN

 

Studio analyst Keith Jones on Canada’s poor play in the first period: “They are asleep. That is the worst period they have played in this tournament.”

 

Analyst Mike Milbury on Canadian goaltender Kevin Poulin allowing four goals midway through the second period: “They asked for trouble and it has been delivered to them. Poulin looks like he has completely lost it. He has no clue where he is in his net at this point.”

 

Analyst Pierre McGuire on Canada: “There’s panic on this bench.”

 

Milbury: “There should be.”

 

Jones on Canadian left winger Rob Klinkhammer: “Rob Klinkhammer had a turnover to the middle of the ice, not once, but twice in the same shift. That guy should never see the ice again in this game and he was right back out there for the next shift. That is just unacceptable.”

 

Play-by-play commentator Kenny Albert following Germany’s upset of Canada, 4-1: “Canadians won gold with NHL players in Vancouver and Sochi, but we will have a new Olympic hockey champion in PyeongChang. Germany with shockers over Sweden, and now Canada. ”

 

Albert on Germany: “I’m not sure you could have found many people who would have expected this celebration, after losses in their first two games against Finland and Sweden.”

 

German defenseman Christian Ehrhoff to McGuire: “It’s unbelievable. I am out of words right now it’s such a huge day for German hockey and I’m so proud right now.”

 

Ehrhoff on comparing this win for Germany to the U.S. win over Russia in 1980: “I can agree with that. No one really had us on the list. And for us, we are just living the dream day-by-day right now and the ride continues. It is just amazing.”

 

Studio analyst Jeremy Roenick on Germany advancing: “It is unheard of. If you had told me at the beginning of the tournament that Germany would be in the finals, I would have laughed all the way through the Olympics. I would have thought you were absolutely totally crazy.”

 

Jones on comparing this to the 1980 U.S. men’s hockey team: “Yes, it’s that big. And if they beat the Russians, it’s bigger. It’s an incredible run that they are on. The way that they have done it, they bend but they don’t break.”

 

Watch Germany defeat Canada in men’s hockey, 4-3, here.

 

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MEN’S SPEED SKATING – NBCSN

 

Analyst Joey Cheek on American speed skater Mitchell Whitmore: “What a great race for Mitch Whitmore. Maybe he is a 1000m guy – he always said he was a 500m guy. He looks better in this opener than he has looked in any opener this year.”

 

Reporter Steve Sands on Norway’s blue suits: “Scientists in Norway are saying they found evidence that blue is the fastest color, so instead of the traditional red the Norwegians are wearing blue suits. It is tough to argue with the results, two gold medals and a bronze so far in the Games.”

 

Cheek on Dutch speed skater Kjeld Nuis extension across the finish line to win gold: “Watch this extension. That extension is what won him the Olympic Games … Nuis skated that the best I have ever seen. If I were to show this to kids from across the country, how to finish a race, I would say look at the extension. That’s the difference.”

 

Watch Kjeld Nuis win 1000m gold here.

 

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MEN’S CURLING – NBCSN

 

Play-by-play commentator Bill Doleman on Canada’s performance: “There is no question this is going to be one of the most talked about curling Olympics ever, given what’s happened to Canada even if the men win the bronze medal here.”

 

Analyst Pete Fenson on the perception of Canadian curling: “These are all world-class teams here. There are ten fantastic teams in each division trying to win each event. The Canadian men and women have not performed as well as they normally do. I don’t think that is any cause for too much concern. They will be back.”

 

Doleman added: “But this will never be forgotten. That is for sure.”

 

Doleman on Switzerland’s win over Canada to win the bronze medal: “What a performance by Switzerland. They defeat Canada, and the Canadian men’s and women’s teams are medal-less in PyeongChang.”

 

Watch Switzerland defeat Canada 7-5 in the bronze medal match here.

 

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WOMEN’S FREESTYLE SKIING – NBCSN

 

Play-by-play commentator Trace Worthington: “This is like the American Ninja Warrior course of ski racing.”

 

Analyst Jonny Moseley on women’s ski cross gold medalist Kelsey Serwa: “This course has claimed so many skiers, causing so many injuries. Not only did she stay safe she skied flawlessly for gold.”

 

Watch Canada dominate the women’s ski cross final here.

 

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ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

 

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s Olympic Games coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. NBCUniversal owns the U.S. media rights on all platforms to all Olympic Games through 2032.

 

— PYEONGCHANG 2018 —