FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 11th, 2020

THREE STANLEY CUP CONFERENCE FINAL MATCHUPS PRESENTED THIS WEEKEND ACROSS NBC SPORTS

Lightning vs. Islanders Eastern Conference Final Game 3 Tonight at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network – Lightning Lead Series 2-0

Weekend Doubleheader on NBC Begins Tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET – Golden Knights vs. Stars Game 4 – Stars Lead Series 2-1

Lightning-Islanders Game 4 – Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC; Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick Returns to Call Remainder of ECF Beginning Sunday

“Two of the toughest defensive teams I’ve seen in a while in the Western Conference.” – Patrick Sharp on Golden Knights-Stars Series

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 11, 2020 – NBC Sports presents exclusive coverage of three Stanley Cup Conference Final matchups this weekend, beginning with the Tampa Bay Lightning playing the New York Islanders, holding a 2-0 series advantage, tonight at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network. On Wednesday, Nikita Kucherov netted the game-winner with only nine seconds left to give the Lightning a 2-1 victory.

John Forslund (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will call Lightning-Islanders Game 3 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.

Game 4 of the Western Conference Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars will be presented tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. In last night’s affair, Alexander Radulov scored the game-winning goal 31 seconds into overtime to give Dallas the 3-2 victory and a 2-1 series lead.

Forslund, Olczyk and ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call of Vegas-Dallas in Edmonton.

On Sunday, the Lightning and Islanders will face off in Game 4 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. Eight-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick will handle play-by-play duties alongside Olczyk and Boucher.

Earlier this week, 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 this weekend’s Stanley Cup Conference Final schedule:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET) Commentators
Fri., Sept. 11 Game 3 – (2) Tampa Bay vs. (6) N.Y. Islanders USA Network 8 p.m. John Forslund, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher
Sat. Sept. 12 Game 4 – (1) Vegas vs. (3) Dallas NBC 8 p.m. John Forslund, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire
Sun., Sept 13 Game 4 – (2) Tampa Bay vs. (6) N.Y. Islanders NBC 3 p.m. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher

 

KEITH JONES AND PATRICK SHARP DISCUSS GOLDEN KNIGHTS-STARS GAME 3

Following last night’s 3-2 overtime victory for the Dallas Stars over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3, studio analysts Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp discussed the matchup and series:

Sharp on the series: “It’s not about scoring goals for these two teams. It’s about how well they check and defend. The goals will come. Two of the toughest defensive teams I’ve seen in a while in the Western Conference.” 

Jones on Alexander Radulov’s game winning goal: “It was a great shot. He got (Robin) Lehner to lean down a little bit, and then he put it right off the goalpost. It’s an incredible goal by Radulov and he continues to make big plays, it’s his second overtime winner in the playoffs and a big reason why Dallas is leading in this series.”

Sharp on Jamie Benn: “He’s a playmaker, never rushes with the puck, always makes the right play when it’s on his stick…Jamie Benn was the best Dallas Star not named Anton Khudobin.”

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
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–