FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 7th, 2020
NBC SPORTS PRESENTS SIX CLINCHING NHL STANLEY CUP QUALIFYING ROUND MATCHUPS TODAY ON NBCSN, BEGINNING AT 12 P.M. ET
Islanders Can Eliminate Panthers and Advance to Stanley Cup Playoffs with Victory at Noon ET on NBCSN – Islanders Lead Series 2-1
Coyotes, Canadiens, Blackhawks, Blue Jackets and Canucks Also Look to Clinch and Advance to Stanley Cup Playoffs Throughout the Day on NBCSN
NHL Draft Lottery Phase 2 Presented Monday, August 10, at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – August 7, 2020 – NBC Sports presents six clinching matchups in the NHL’s 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifying Round today, beginning with the New York Islanders looking to clinch the best-of-five series in Game 4 against the Florida Panthers and advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs at 12 p.m. ET on NBCSN. It is the first time in over 30 years (April 12, 1988) that the NHL has had six elimination games on the same day.
Throughout the day, five other teams will look to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including Carey Price and the Montreal Canadiens facing Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, leading the series 2-1, at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks will also look to clinch their Qualifying Round series against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The Arizona Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets and Vancouver Canucks also look to clinch their respective series and advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Kathryn Tappen and Liam McHugh will combine to host today and tonight’s studio coverage alongside studio analysts Eddie Olczyk, Keith Jones, Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp and AJ Mleczko.
All games airing on NBCSN are blacked out in the local markets and can be seen on the local RSNs. In addition, games not aired in their entirety on NBCSN will air in their entirety on NHL Network.
Qualifying Round series are best-of-five and will be contested between the teams seeded 5th through 12th in each conference. The winners of those series will join the top four teams from each conference, who will play round robin games to determine seeding, in the traditional 16-team Stanley Cup Playoffs format.
On Monday, August 10, Phase 2 of the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery, which will award the first overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, will be presented at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The program will include an interview with the consensus top prospect Alexis Lafreniere.
Today’s NHL schedule on NBCSN is below:
| Date | Coverage | Network | Time (ET) | Commentators |
| Fri., August 7 | Game 4 – N.Y. Islanders vs. Florida | NBCSN | 12 p.m. | Mike Tirico, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher |
| Game 4 – Nashville vs. Arizona* | NBCSN | 2:30 p.m. | TBD | |
| Game 4 – Pittsburgh vs. Montreal | NBCSN | 4 p.m. | Gord Miller, Mike Milbury, Brian Boucher | |
| Game 4 – Edmonton vs. Chicago | NBCSN | 6:30 p.m. | Brendan Burke, Pierre McGuire | |
| Game 4 – Toronto vs. Columbus | NBCSN | 9 p.m. | John Forslund, Mike Milbury | |
| Game 4 – Vancouver vs. Minnesota | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. | Chris Cuthbert, Louie DeBrusk |
*airs in its entirety on NHL Network
—NBC SPORTS—
