FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 12th, 2021

STANLEY CUP CHAMPION TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING HEADLINE NBC SPORTS’ OPENING NIGHT TRIPLEHEADER TOMORROW NIGHT ON NBCSN

Tripleheader Tomorrow Night Kicks Off 2020-21 NHL Season, Featuring Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Patrick Kane and Defending Stanley Cup Champion Lightning

Tomorrow’s Coverage Begins with NHL Live at 5:15 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick Voices Opening Night Tease

“We’re going to have a 56-game sprint. I think that’s going to create for a lot of intrigue…I think it makes for good drama.” – Brian Boucher on the Upcoming Season

“Nathan MacKinnon is the best player in the entire National Hockey League…The Avalanche absolutely 110% are the (Stanley Cup) favorite.” – Eddie Olczyk on the Colorado Avalanche

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 12, 2021 – NBC Sports drops the puck on the 2020-21 NHL season tomorrow night with a tripleheader on NBCSN, headlined by the defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning hosting Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks at 8 p.m. ET. Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins face off against Claude Giroux and the Philadelphia Flyers at 5:30 p.m. ET, and the nightcap will feature Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche hosting Ryan O’Reilly and the St. Louis Blues at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Opening night coverage begins with a special edition of NHL Live at 5:15 p.m. ET on NBCSN, leading into coverage of Penguins-Flyers. Kathryn Tappen anchors studio coverage throughout the evening with analysts Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp as well as NHL insider Bob McKenzie.

Tomorrow, eight-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick voices an opening night tease that previews the upcoming drama and storylines to follow during the unique 2020-21 season.

HOW TO WATCH – WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13

  • TV – NBCSN
  • Streaming – NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com
Date Coverage Commentators Time (ET)
Wed., January 13 NHL Live Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Patrick Sharp, Bob McKenzie 5:15 p.m.
  Pittsburgh at Philadelphia Kenny Albert, Pierre McGuire 5:30 p.m.
  Chicago at Tampa Bay John Forslund, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher 8 p.m.
  St. Louis at Colorado Brendan Burke, AJ Mleczko 10:30 p.m.
  NHL Overtime Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Patrick Sharp 1 a.m.*

*Immediately following game coverage

NHL SEASON PREVIEW CONFERENCE CALL

Yesterday, Olczyk, Boucher, McGuire, and Mleczko joined NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood to preview the upcoming NHL season on a media conference call. Below are a few highlighted quotes:

Brian Boucher on the upcoming season: “We’re going to have a 56-game sprint. I think that’s going to create for a lot of intrigue…I think it makes for good drama.”

AJ Mleczko: “No matter what adjustments we have to make as fans, as broadcasters, obviously for the teams, the NHL, the NHLPA, I’m just so excited to see these guys back on the ice. I’m so excited to be able to call these games.”

Eddie Olczyk on the Colorado Avalanche: “Nathan MacKinnon is the best player in the entire National Hockey League…The Avalanche absolutely 110% are the (Stanley Cup) favorite.”

Pierre McGuire on the Philadelphia Flyers: “Grinder, character guys, guys that aren’t afraid to take risks to make plays, they’re important players. The Flyers have a lot of those guys. I think the Flyers proved a lot last year. I think they will prove a lot this year.”

2020-21 REGULAR SEASON COVERAGE ON NBC SPORTS

NBC Sports is scheduled to present roughly 100 games featuring all 31 teams on NBC and NBCSN during the 2020-21 NHL regular-season, including a record 16 regular-season games on the NBC broadcast network. Click here for more info.

–NBC SPORTS–