FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 8th, 2020

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS LOOK TO TIE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL SERIES AGAINST DALLAS STARS IN GAME 2 TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Dallas Stars Game 2 Tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN – Dallas Leads 1-0

NHL Live Begins Coverage at 7 p.m. ET  

Eastern Conference Final Game 2 – Lightning vs. Islanders – Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN – Lightning Lead 1-0

“I think you go back to Thomas Greiss and give him another shot.” – Keith Jones on Islanders’ Goaltender Situation Heading into Game 2

Hockey Culture Interview with Arcadia University Head Coach Kelsey Koelzer Available Now

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 8, 2020 – NBC Sports presents exclusive coverage of Game 2 of the Western Conference Final tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, when the Vegas Golden Knights look to tie the series against the Dallas Stars at one game apiece. The Stars shut out the Golden Knights in the opening game of the series winning 1-0 behind John Klingberg’s goal. Pre-game coverage begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Kenny Albert (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst), and Emmy Award winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from Rogers Place in the NHL bubble in Edmonton, Alberta.

Kathryn Tappen will host tonight’s studio coverage alongside studio analysts Anson Carter and Patrick Sharp.

Earlier today, Hockey Culture debuted an interview with Arcadia University head coach Kelsey Koelzer, the first black female head coach in NCAA hockey history. Koelzer and Carter discussed her childhood experiences playing hockey, thoughts on how to increase inclusivity in the sport and the importance of female voices within all levels of hockey. Highlighted quotes from the conversation are below:

Kelsey Koelzer on biases she encountered growing up playing hockey: “The first obstacle that I ever faced in hockey was being a girl as opposed to being a black player. So that’s something that I faced right off the bat, whether it was parents, players or coaches. I did feel, at times, targeting that girls will feel on the ice playing against the boys…getting through the negative comments of ‘being a girl playing a boy sport’ helped me because by the time that I faced ‘being black in a white sport,’ I was really prepared and had such thick skin that nothing was going to stop me from reaching my goals.”

Koelzer on how to increase inclusivity within the sport: “Once you get to the top level of NHL and women’s professional hockey, it’s a little too late at that point. I really think there’s a huge importance to be put on grassroots level activations…I think the NHL has made a great start in trying to expose the game to as many different people as possible…there are a lot of programs, but a lot of it stems from exposure to the younger generation.”

Koelzer on the importance of female voices in hockey: “Being a female and minority player, you know I’ve had to endure a lot to get to where I am…I can hang with the best of them…that on top of the accomplishments on the ice, being humble and still learn, take in, offer different viewpoints, is something unique that you can get from a female voice.”

Hockey Culture also features, among others, the following interviews:

Following is tonight’s Western Conference Final Game 2 schedule:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET) Commentators
Tues., Sept. 8 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m. Kathryn Tappen, Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp
  Game 2 – (3) Dallas vs. (1) Vegas NBCSN 8 p.m. Kenny Albert, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire

KEITH JONES AND PATRICK SHARP PREVIEW LIGHTNING-ISLANDERS GAME 2

Following last night’s 8-2 Tampa Bay Lightning victory over the New York Islanders in Game 1, studio analysts Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp reflected on the Game 1 performance and previewed Game 2:

Sharp on Game 1: “I know a loss is a loss in the playoffs, whether it’s a 1-0 overtime (loss) or it’s 8-2, but this was an 8-2 loss. That’s embarrassing, it should get your attention. I think it will, and the Islanders bounce back in Game 2 and play a much better game. The question is, they have the Tampa Bay Lightning across the way, how are you going to stop that offense?”

Jones on the Islanders’ goalie situation heading into Game 2: “I think you go back to Thomas Greiss and give him another shot. This game was so disappointing from an Islanders standpoint that I don’t know how much you can pin on the goaltender, how much credit do you give to the offensive players on the Lightning, and how much could the goalies have done to make the game closer?…I think they got lit up by a team that was just feeling it.”

NBC SPORTS RADIO STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS BROADCAST SCHEDULE

In conjunction with Westwood One, NBC Sports Radio will broadcast every remaining game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final. The following is NBC Sports Radio and Westwood One’s Conference Finals broadcast schedule through Sunday, Sept. 13:

Date Coverage Time (ET) Commentators
Tues., Sept. 8 Game 2 – Dallas vs. Vegas 7:45 p.m. Alex Faust, Jim Fox
Wed., Sept. 9 Game 2 – N.Y. Islanders vs. Tampa Bay 7:45 p.m. Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti
Thurs., Sept. 10 Game 3 – Vegas vs. Dallas 7:45 p.m. Alex Faust, Jim Fox
Fri., Sept. 11 Game 3 – Tampa Bay vs. N.Y. Islanders 7:45 p.m. Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti
Sat., Sept. 12 Game 4 – Vegas vs. Dallas 8 p.m. Alex Faust, Jim Fox
Sun., Sept. 13 Game 4 – Tampa Bay vs. N.Y. Islanders 3 p.m. Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti

 

–NBC SPORTS–