FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 24th, 2020

2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL CONTINUES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBC

Tampa Bay Lightning Lead Dallas Stars in Series 2-1

Game 4 Pre-Game Coverage Begins Tomorrow with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN

“Right out of a storybook…First game. First shot. First goal.” – Doc Emrick on Steven Stamkos

“(The Stars) weren’t able to capitalize when they had the momentum. When you have it, you’ve got to do something with it.” – Eddie Olczyk

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 24, 2020 – The 2020 Stanley Cup Final between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning continues with exclusive coverage of Games 4 and 5 on NBC Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. ET. Friday’s pre-game coverage begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. All Stanley Cup Final games are taking place at Rogers Place in the NHL bubble in Edmonton, Alberta.

Eight-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick will handle play-by-play duties for Games 4 and 5 alongside U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst). Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire will provide reports and player interviews throughout both games.

Kathryn Tappen will host studio coverage throughout the weekend alongside studio analysts Keith Jones, Anson Carter and Patrick Sharp.

Last night, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos returned from injury for his first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and scored on his very first shot in the first period, as Tampa Bay defeated Dallas 5-2 to take a 2-1 series lead.

Highlighted quotes from last night’s matchup are below. Click here for full notes and quotes from Game 3.

Emrick on Tampa Bay C Steven Stamkos’ goal: “My goodness, right out of a storybook…First game. First shot. First goal.”

Emrick on the Lightning: “Inspired by the return of their captain, they have taken a lead in the series, two games to one…they have talked during these playoffs about how (Steven) Stamkos had inspired them just by being in the dressing room in civilian clothes, and then how it was so much fun to see him on the ice in skates in practice. But now, on the ice in skates – though briefly – scoring a goal on his first shot.”

Jones on the Lightning: “What impresses me the most is the way they reacted when (Steven) Stamkos could no longer participate in the game. He obviously was a big factor in the first period, scored the goal, but that can deflate a team when a guy’s unavailable when the second period rolls around…their depth really came to the forefront and their star players were outstanding.”

Olczyk on importance of capitalizing on momentum: “(The Stars) weren’t able to capitalize when they had the momentum. When you have it, you’ve got to do something with it. You saw it in the second period when Tampa had all of the momentum and put a crooked number on the board.”

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Senior Executive Vice President, Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs, Kim Davis, joined Anson Carter for a conversation on diversity and inclusion in hockey on the latest episode of NBC Sports’ Hockey Culture, an initiative led by Carter, dedicated to bringing equality and inclusion to the sport of hockey.

Bettman, Davis and Carter discussed a number of topics, including the NHL’s pause in play in late August during the playoffs to fight social injustice, how to increase diversity and inclusion in the sport of hockey and how they hope to see progress within the sport in the next five years.

Following is the weekend’s Stanley Cup Final schedule:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET) Commentators
Fri., Sept. 25 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m. Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp
  Game 4 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBC 8 p.m. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire
Sat., Sept. 26 Game 5 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay NBC 8 p.m. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire

 

2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL SCHEDULE

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Fri., Sept. 25 Game 4 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBC 8 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26 Game 5 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay NBC 8 p.m.
Mon., Sept. 28 Game 6 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas* NBC 8 p.m.
Wed., Sept. 30 Game 7 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay* NBC 8 p.m.

* If Necessary

–NBC SPORTS–