FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2018
“PUSH FOR THE PLAYOFFS” INCLUDES FIVE NHL GAMES WITH STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS ON NBC AND NBCSN THIS WEEK
NHL Game of the Week – Rangers-Flyers on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC
Bruins and Lightning Clash in Contest with Atlantic Division Title Implications Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Alex Ovechkin and Washington Capitals Host P.K. Subban and Nashville Predators on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Blues Fight for Playoff Hopes vs. Blackhawks on Wednesday Night Rivalry at 8 p.m. ET; Ducks Battle for Postseason Lives vs. Stars Friday at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 3, 2018 – NBC Sports heads into the final week of the 2017-18 NHL regular season with five games featuring playoff implications, including the NHL Game of the Week on the penultimate day of the regular season, as Claude Giroux and the Philadelphia Flyers host Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
This week’s NHL coverage on NBCSN begins tonight with a contest that will impact the race for the Atlantic Division title, as Nikita Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning host Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins at 7:30 p.m. ET, currently separated by just two points in the standings.
Following Bruins-Lightning tonight on NBCSN, NBC Sports will present “KNIGHT FEVER,” a 30-minute special chronicling the improbable rise and triumph of the NHL expansion Vegas Golden Knights. “KNIGHT FEVER” features interviews with Vegas owner Bill Foley, general manager George McPhee, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, among others. Click here for more information.
This week’s Wednesday Night Rivalry matchup features a classic Central Division clash, as Vladimir Tarasenko and the St. Louis Blues fight to stay alive in the Western Conference playoff race against Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Coverage continues on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, as NHL-leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals host P.K. Subban and the defending Western Conference champion Nashville Predators in a potential Stanley Cup Final preview. Coverage concludes Friday with a Western Conference matchup between Ryan Getzlaf’s Anaheim Ducks and Jamie Benn’s Dallas Stars, as Anaheim looks to secure its place in the postseason.
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 this week’s NHL action.
Liam McHugh, Kathryn Tappen and Paul Burmeister anchor studio coverage this week alongside analysts Mike Milbury, Jeremy Roenick, Keith Jones, Anson Carter, Mike Rupp, and NHL insider Darren Dreger during coverage of Wednesday Night Rivalry. Post-game coverage on NHL Overtime will air on NBCSN immediately following this week’s games.
RANGERS-FLYERS – SATURDAY AT 3 P.M. ET ON NBC
The Flyers (40-25-14, 94 pts) enter the week all but assured of a postseason berth, following a 4-3 overtime victory against Boston on the NHL Game of the Week on NBC on Sunday. Claude Giroux capped the win with a breakaway goal with 1:21 left in the extra session. Philadelphia has recorded at least one point its last eight games, is tied with Columbus for third place in the Metropolitan Division, and sits one point ahead of New Jersey for the first Wild Card spot.
The Rangers (34-36-9, 77 pts) will miss out on the postseason, but look to continue the role of spoiler. New York defeated Carolina, 2-1, on Saturday to eliminate the Hurricanes from postseason contention, as Henrik Lundqvist made 40 saves.
Five-time Emmy Award-winner Mike “Doc” Emrick (play-by-play), former NHL player, coach and general manager Mike Milbury (analyst), and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will call Rangers-Flyers from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
BRUINS-LIGHTNING – TONIGHT AT 7:30 P.M. ON NBCSN
Boston (49-17-12, 110 pts) has recorded a point in nine straight games and sits two points ahead of the Lightning for the Atlantic Division/Eastern Conference lead with one game in hand. Brad Marchand leads the team with 84 points (34g/50a) in just 64 games this season. A win for Boston would all but secure the Atlantic Division and home-ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Bruins have won all three previous meetings this season.
Tampa Bay (52-23-4, 108 pts) is coming off as 4-1 loss to Nashville on Sunday, and has gone 4-6-0 in its last 10 games leading into the postseason. Nikita Kucherov currently ranks second in the NHL in points (97) behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (103 pts).
Gord Miller (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (analyst) will call Bruins-Lightning from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY – BLACKHAWKS-BLUES AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
The Blues (43-30-6, 92 pts) face their rivals on Wednesday Night Rivalry in need of a victory to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race. St. Louis sits one point behind Colorado for the final Wild Card spot with one game in hand on the Avalanche. The Blues will need to rebound from a pair of losses to Washington and Arizona.
Chicago (32-37-10, 74 pts) has been eliminated from playoff contention, but has gone 2-1-1 in its past four games. In the most recent meeting between the teams, Alex DeBrincat registered a hat trick for the Blackhawks, but Patrik Berglund scored in overtime to give St. Louis a 5-4 win.
Kenny Albert (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will call Blackhawks-Blues from Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.
PREDATORS-CAPITALS – THURSDAY AT 7 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
Nashville heads into the final week of the regular season with the best record in the NHL (51-17-11, 113 pts) and can clinch home-ice advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs tonight against Florida. Nashville defeated Tampa Bay, 4-1, on Sunday, led by a pair of goals from Filip Forsberg.
The Caps (48-25-7, 103 pts) clinched the Metropolitan Division title with a win Sunday against Pittsburgh, followed by a 4-2 win against the Blues on Monday. Alex Ovechkin, who currently leads the NHL with 46 goals, is primed to win the Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophy for the seventh time in his career.
John Forslund (play-by-play) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will call Predators-Capitals from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
STARS-DUCKS – FRIDAY AT 10 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
Anaheim (41-25-13, 95 pts) currently occupies the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, two points ahead of Colorado and three points ahead of St. Louis. The Ducks have posted a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 games, including a pivotal 4-3 overtime win on Sunday against Colorado after trailing 3-1.
Dallas (40-31-8, 88 pts) is eliminated from playoff contention but has a chance to play spoiler with its final two games against the Ducks and Kings. The Stars are 2-6-2 in their last 10, but are coming off a 4-1 win against Minnesota.
Alex Faust (play-by-play) and Brian Hayward (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will call Stars-Ducks from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Following is this week’s NHL coverage on NBC and NBCSN:
Date | Coverage | Network | Time (ET) |
Tues., April 3 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 6:30 p.m. |
Boston at Tampa Bay^ | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. | |
NHL Overtime* | NBCSN | 10:15 p.m. | |
KNIGHT FEVER* | NBCSN | 11 p.m. | |
Weds., April 4 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 7 p.m. |
Wednesday Night Rivalry – Chicago at St. Louis | NBCSN | 8 p.m. | |
NHL Overtime | NBCSN | 10:45 p.m. | |
Thurs., April 5 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 6 p.m. |
Nashville at Washington^ | NBCSN | 7 p.m. | |
NHL Overtime | NBCSN | 9:45 p.m. | |
Fri., April 6 | NHL Live | NBCSN | 9:30 p.m. |
Dallas at Anaheim | NBCSN | 10 p.m. | |
NHL Overtime | NBCSN | 12:30 a.m. | |
Sat., April 7 | NHL Game of the Week – N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia | NBC | 3 p.m. |
*immediately following game coverage
^subject to local blackout
2017-18 REGULAR SEASON COVERAGE ON NBC & NBCSN
NBC Sports Group will deliver coverage of nearly 100 NHL regular-season games during the 2017-18 season on NBC and NBCSN. All games will be streamed live via NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Click here for more information on NBC Sports Group’s comprehensive NHL coverage this season.
THE NHL ON NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of the 2017-18 NHL regular season 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 and Amazon Fire.
PROHOCKEYTALK ON NBCSPORTS.COM
NBCSports.com’s ProHockeyTalk provides up-to-the-minute news and information about the NHL with the top stories each day around the league, as well as video highlights and goals of the week. ProHockeyTalk wraps up each night’s action with The Buzzer to provide fans with an in-depth look at the top stories from every game. Click here for more information.
NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS
NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NHL markets such as Boston (Bruins), Philadelphia (Flyers), Washington D.C. (Capitals), Chicago (Blackhawks) and the Bay Area (Sharks), will air more than 300 live NHL games and surround the 2017-18 NHL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most.
-NBC SPORTS GROUP-