NBC Sports Group’s coverage of 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs begins Wednesday night with triple-header across NBCSN, CNBC

NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs begins with a triple-header of first-round games on Wednesday night, the first night of two months of Stanley Cup Playoffs hockey across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC and NHL Network. NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream all games airing on NBC, NBCSN and CNBC, the vast majority via “TV Everywhere.”

In order to televise as many as five games on a given day/night during the first round, NBC Sports Group will present matchups on NBC, NBCSN, NHL Network, and NBCUniversal’s business channel CNBC in primetime. First-round games on cable are subject to local blackouts.

Wednesday night’s Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage features a doubleheader on NBCSN, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET when Sidney Crosby and the Atlantic Division-champion (1) Pittsburgh Penguins host the (4) Columbus Blue Jackets. Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike “Doc” Emrick and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call from CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The action continues on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET, as Ryan Getzlaf and the (1) Anaheim Ducks, who finished the regular season with the best record in the Western Conference, host Tyler Seguin and the (4) Dallas Stars at 10 p.m. ET. John Walton (play-by-play) and Butch Goring(analyst) will call the action from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

NBC Sports Group’s 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage on CNBC begins Wednesday night when Steven Stamkosand the (2) Tampa Bay Lightning host the (3) Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m. ET. Jim Hughson, Craig Simpson,Glenn Healy and David Amber will have the call from the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Fla. Commentators for upcoming games will be announced in daily releases throughout the first round.

On most nights of the first round, NBC Sports will produce two versions of NHL Live (one for NBCSN, one for CNBC) from separate studios at its International Broadcast Center located in Stamford, Conn. NHL Live will feature a combination of hosts Liam McHugh, Russ Thaler and Kathryn Tappen, and analysts and former players Mike Milbury, Keith Jones, Jeremy Roenick and Anson Carter.

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NBC SPORTS GROUP 2014 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES

Following are quotes from today’s NBC Sports Group 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs conference call, featuring Doc Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre Mcguire, and executive producer Sam Flood.

“I would say the hockey gods are smiling on us right now.” -  Sam Flood on the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs matchups

“Based on the matchups, hatred, and animosity in each series, this has got a chance to be one of the most memorable Stanley Cup Playoffs in the last 20 years.” – Pierre McGuire

“There is no better reality TV in the world than watching the road to the Stanley Cup Final.” – Eddie Olczyk

“It has been so much fun to say that we are doing every game of every series. It was 87 games two years ago, 88 games last year, and, who knows, it might be 90 games this year.”– Doc Emrick on NBC Sports Group presenting every game of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs

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Following is NBC Sports Group’s Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round television schedule through Wed., April 30, including all potential Game 5, 6 and 7 matchups. (NOTE: Games airing on NBCSN, CNBC and NHL Network are subject to local blackouts in the first round; all times ET and subject to change):

Date	Coverage	Network	Time (ET)
Wed., April 16	Game 1 – (3) Montreal at (2) Tampa Bay	CNBC	7 p.m.
	Game 1 – (4) Columbus at (1) Pittsburgh	NBCSN	7:30 p.m.
	Game 1 – (4) Dallas at (1) Anaheim	NBCSN	10 p.m.
Thu., April 17	Game 1 – (3) Philadelphia at (2) N.Y. Rangers	CNBC	7 p.m.
	Game 1 – (3) Chicago at (2) St. Louis	NBCSN	8 p.m.
	Game 1 – (4) Minnesota at (1) Colorado	CNBC	9:30 p.m.
	Game 1 – (3) Los Angeles at (2) San Jose	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.
Fri., April 18	Game 2 – (3) Montreal at (2) Tampa Bay	CNBC	7 p.m.
	Game 1 – (4) Detroit at (1) Boston	NBCSN	7:30 p.m.
	Game 2 – (4) Dallas at (1) Anaheim	NBCSN	10 p.m.
Sat., April 19	Game 2 – (3) Chicago at (2) St. Louis	NBC	3 p.m.
	Game 2 – (4) Columbus at (1) Pittsburgh	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Game 2 – (4) Minnesota at (1) Colorado	NBCSN	9:30 p.m.
Sun., April 20	Game 2 – (3) Philadelphia at (2) N.Y. Rangers	NBC	Noon
	Game 2 – (4) Detroit at (1) Boston	NBC	3 p.m.
	Game 3 – (2) Tampa Bay at (3) Montreal	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Game 2 – (3) Los Angeles at (2) San Jose	NBCSN	10 p.m.
Mon., April 21	Game 3 – (1) Pittsburgh at (4) Columbus	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Game 3 – (1) Colorado at (4) Minnesota	NHL Network	7 p.m.
	Game 3 – (2) St. Louis at (3) Chicago	CNBC	8:30 p.m.
	Game 3 – (1) Anaheim at (4) Dallas	NBCSN	9:30 p.m.
Tue., April 22	Game 4 – (2) Tampa Bay at (3) Montreal	NHL Network	7 p.m.
	Game 3 – (1) Boston at (4) Detroit	NBCSN	7:30 p.m.
	Game 3 – (2) N.Y. Rangers at (3) Philadelphia	CNBC	8 p.m.
	Game 3 – (2) San Jose at (3) Los Angeles	NBCSN	10 p.m.
Wed., April 23	Game 4 – (1) Pittsburgh at (4) Columbus	NBCSN	7 p.m.
	Game 4 – (1) Anaheim at (4) Dallas	CNBC	8 p.m.
	Game 4 – (2) St. Louis at (3) Chicago	NBCSN	9:30 p.m.
Thu., April 24	Game 5* – (3) Montreal at (2) Tampa Bay	CNBC	7 p.m.
	Game 4 – (1) Boston at (4) Detroit	NBCSN	8 p.m.
	Game 4 – (1) Colorado at (4) Minnesota	CNBC	9:30 p.m.
	Game 4 – (2) San Jose at (3) Los Angeles	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.
Fri., April 25	Game 4 – (2) N.Y. Rangers at (3) Philadelphia	CNBC	7 p.m.
	Game 5* – (3) Chicago at (2) St. Louis	NBCSN	8 p.m.
	Game 5* – (4) Dallas at (1) Anaheim	NBCSN	10:30 p.m.
Sat., April 26	Game 5* – (4) Detroit at (1) Boston	NBC	3 p.m.
	Game 5* – (4) Columbus at (1) Pittsburgh	TBD	TBD
	Game 5* – (4) Minnesota at (1) Colorado	TBD	TBD
	Game 5* – (3) Los Angeles at (2) San Jose	TBD	TBD
Sun., April 27	Game 5* – (3) Philadelphia at (2) N.Y. Rangers	NBC	Noon
	Game 6* – (2) St. Louis at (3) Chicago	NBC	3 p.m.
	Game 6* – (2) Tampa Bay at (3) Montreal	TBD	TBD
	Game 6* – (1) Anaheim at (4) Dallas	TBD	TBD
Mon., April 28	Game 6* – (1) Pittsburgh at (4) Columbus	TBD	TBD
	Game 6* – (1) Boston at (4) Detroit	TBD	TBD
	Game 6* – (1) Colorado at (4) Minnesota	TBD	TBD
	Game 6* – (2) San Jose at (3) Los Angeles	TBD	TBD
Tue., April 29	Game 7* – (3) Montreal at (2) Tampa Bay	TBD	TBD
	Game 6* – (2) N.Y. Rangers at (3) Philadelphia	TBD	TBD
	Game 7* – (3) Chicago at (2) St. Louis	TBD	TBD
	Game 7* – (4) Dallas at (1) Anaheim	TBD	TBD
Wed., April 30	Game 7* – (4) Columbus at (1) Pittsburgh	TBD	TBD
	Game 7* – (4) Detroit at (1) Boston	TBD	TBD
	Game 7* – (3) Philadelphia at (2) N.Y. Rangers	TBD	TBD
	Game 7* – (4) Minnesota at (1) Colorado	TBD	TBD
	Game 7* – (3) Los Angeles at (2) San Jose	TBD	TBD

*if necessary

NEW PLAYOFF FORMAT FEATURES EMPHASIS ON DIVISION RIVALS PRIOR TO CONFERENCE FINALS

The NHL is employing a new playoff format for the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs that allows for a fixed bracket and emphasizes division rivals in the first two rounds. Following is a breakdown of the official format:

• The top three finishers in each Division automatically qualify and are designated No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds. Among the remaining teams in each Conference, the two teams with the best records qualify as Wild Cards and are designated No. 4 seeds.
• The first two rounds are divisional brackets. No. 1 plays No. 4, and No 2. plays No. 3, with winners advancing to play each other.
• Within each Conference, the Wild Card team with the better record will be assigned to the bracket of the Divisional leader with the lesser record.
• Home-ice advantage through the first two rounds goes to the higher seeded team, regardless of regular-season records.
• For the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final, home-ice advantage goes to the team with the better regular-season record

 

PRE-GAME & POST-GAME STUDIO COVERAGE

NHL Live, NBC Sports Group’s live NHL pre-game and post-game studio show, will air prior to the start of first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage on NBCSN and CNBC, throughout intermissions and following nightly coverage. Hosts Liam McHugh, Russ Thaler, Kathryn Tappen,Dave Briggs and Carolyn Manno will team up with analysts and former players Mike Milbury, Keith Jones,Jeremy Roenick and Anson Carter throughout the first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage on NHL Live.

COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE

Through the NBC Sports Regional Networks, comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided daily via NBC Sports’ lineup of Comcast SportsNet RSNs, available in more than 50 million U.S. households. Comcast SportsNet will provide the hometown fans of the Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins with comprehensive coverage throughout their teams’ Stanley Cup Playoff runs, including exclusive regional coverage of first-round games, pre- and post-game shows and extensive on-line coverage via Comcast SportsNet’s team of NHL Insiders.

For teams that advance past the first round, NBC Sports Regional Networks will deliver extensive pre- and post-game coverage as well as breaking news and analysis throughout each team’s playoff run.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA COVERAGE

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream all Stanley Cup Playoff games that air on NBC, NBCSN, and CNBC, including comprehensive streaming coverage of the Stanley Cup Final. The vast majority of games will be live streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play. Games airing on:

• NBC will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra;
• NBCSN will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs;
• CNBC will live stream exclusively through NBC Sports Live Extra via “TV Everywhere.”

For more information on NBC Sports Group’s Stanley Cup Playoff coverage and marketing and social media efforts, click here:http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2014/04/02/2014-nhl-stanley-cup-playoffs-one-goal/

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–