Game 1 – Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals – 7:15 p.m. ET on NBC, Immediately Following Preakness Stakes
Sunday NBC Doubleheader – Game 1 Islanders-Penguins at Noon ET, Followed by Wild at Avalanche or Golden Knights at 3 p.m. ET
First Round Networks and Times Announced Through Saturday, May 22
NBC Sports to Present Stanley Cup Playoffs for 16th Consecutive Year; Every Game to be Shown Nationally
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 13, 2021 – NBC Sports has announced its comprehensive coverage schedule for the start of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin this Saturday night in primetime on NBC immediately following The 146th Preakness Stakes, when Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals host Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins. This will be the 16th consecutive season that NBC Sports has presented the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and once again all games will be shown nationally.
Coverage continues Sunday with a Game 1 doubleheader on NBC beginning at noon ET, when Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins host Mathew Barzal and the New York Islanders.
The second half of Sunday’s doubleheader on NBC will feature the Minnesota Wild against either the Colorado Avalanche or the Vegas Golden Knights at 3 p.m. ET, depending on the outcome of tonight’s Avalanche-Kings game.
The East, Central and North Division seeding and matchups have all been determined, and networks and times are confirmed through Saturday, May 22. The top two seeds for the West Division will be determined tonight, but networks and times for the West Division series are finalized.
NBC Sports will feature roughly 20 game and studio commentators throughout the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. NHL Live will feature hosts Liam McHugh and Kathryn Tappen and analysts Eddie Olczyk, Keith Jones, Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp, Dominic Moore and Mike Babcock.
NBC Sports’ game commentary teams will include play-by-play announcers Kenny Albert, John Forslund, Brendan Burke, Alex Faust and John Walton, and analysts Eddie Olczyk, Keith Jones, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire, AJ Mleczko, Joe Micheletti and Dominic Moore.
Overall, coverage will be presented on NBC, NBCSN and NHL Network, as well as first- and second-round coverage on NBCUniversal’s USA Network and CNBC. NBC Sports’ coverage of Stanley Cup Playoff first-round games on NBCUniversal cable networks (NBCSN, USA Network and CNBC), as well as NHL Network, will air side-by-side with regional sports networks and will be available for streaming on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app in local markets alongside regional sports network game telecasts. All games on NBC are exclusive.
Following is NBC Sports’ coverage schedule of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs through Saturday, May 22.
| Date | Coverage | Network | Time (ET) |
| Sat., May 15 | Game 1 – (3) Boston at (2) Washington | NBC | 7:15 p.m. |
| Sun., May 16 | Game 1 – (4) N.Y. Islanders at (1) Pittsburgh | NBC | 12 p.m. |
| Game 1 – (3) Minnesota at (2) Vegas/Colorado | NBC | 3 p.m. | |
| Game 1 – (3) Tampa Bay at (2) Florida | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Mon., May 17 | Game 2 – (3) Boston at (2) Washington | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
| Game 1 – (4) Nashville at (1) Carolina | CNBC | 8 p.m. | |
| Game 1 – (4) St. Louis at (1) Vegas/Colorado | NBCSN | 10 p.m. | |
| Tues., May 18 | Game 2 – (4) N.Y. Islanders at (1) Pittsburgh | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
| Game 2 – (3) Tampa Bay at (2) Florida | CNBC | 8 p.m. | |
| Game 2 – (3) Minnesota at (2) Vegas/Colorado | NBCSN | 10 p.m. | |
| Wed., May 19 | Game 3 – (2) Washington at (3) Boston | NBCSN | 6:30 p.m. |
| Game 2 – (4) Nashville at (1) Carolina | CNBC | 8 p.m. | |
| Game 1 – (3) Winnipeg at (2) Edmonton | NBCSN | 9 p.m. | |
| Game 2 – (4) St. Louis at (1) Vegas/Colorado | CNBC | 10:30 p.m. | |
| Thu., May 20 | Game 3 – (2) Florida at (3) Tampa Bay | USA Network | 6:30 p.m. |
| Game 3 – (1) Pittsburgh at (4) N.Y. Islanders | NBCSN | 7 p.m. | |
| Game 1 – (4) Montreal at (1) Toronto* | NHL Network | 7:30 p.m. | |
| Game 3 – (1) Vegas/Colorado at (4) Minnesota | NBCSN | 9:30 p.m. | |
| Fri., May 21 | Game 4 – (2) Washington at (3) Boston | NBCSN | 6:30 p.m. |
| Game 3 – (1) Carolina at (4) Nashville | USA Network | 7 p.m. | |
| Game 2 – (3) Winnipeg at (2) Edmonton | NBCSN | 9 p.m. | |
| Game 3 – (1) Vegas/Colorado at (4) St. Louis | USA Network | 9:30 p.m. | |
| Sat., May 22 | Game 4 – (2) Florida at (3) Tampa Bay | CNBC | 12:30 p.m. |
| Game 4 – (1) Pittsburgh at (4) N.Y. Islanders | NBC | 3 p.m. | |
| Game 2 – (4) Montreal at (1) Toronto | CNBC | 7 p.m. | |
| Game 4 – (2) Vegas/Colorado at (3) Minnesota | NBC | 8 p.m. |
*JIP on USA Network following FLA-TB
-NBC SPORTS-
