Once again, NBC Sports Group will provide blanket coverage of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. The networks of NBC will have every game of the playoffs. NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC and NHL Network will be involved in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Then NBC and NBC Sports Network will combine for the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final.
The Conference Quarterfinals will be carried on NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC and NHL Network. The games in this round are not exclusive nationally except for NBC. Local regional sports networks will have exclusivity in the home markets and the national networks will be blacked out. This does not apply to NBC.
Starting with the Conference Semifinals all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, NBC Sports Group has exclusivity and the local RSN’s will no longer air any of playoff games.
Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury and Keith Jones will be the main studio team. Bill Patrick and Jeremy Roenick will form another while Russ Thaler, Mike Keenan and Anson Carter will form a third studio team.
Mike Emrick, Ed Olczyk and charlatan Pierre McGuire will be the lead announce team. Dave Strader and Brian Engblom will be the second team. Expect to hear from announcers John Forslund and Kenny Albert as well.
The Stanley Cup Final will once again be split between NBC and NBC Sports Network. This year, NBC will air Games 1 and 4 through 7. NBC Sports Network will air Games 2 and 3. That is a break from recent policy when NBC took the first two games and NBCSN aired 3 & 4 with NBC taking the rest. This ensures that any Cup clinching games will be aired on broadcast television.
All games will be streamed online. NBC’s games will be available to everyone on NBCSports.com and the NBC Live Extra App. NBC Sports Network’s games will also be available on the NBC Sports Live Extra app, but cable and satellite providers will have to authenticate.
The press release comes after a jump break.
Here’s what NBC is saying about the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
2013 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS — EVERY GAME, EVERY NIGHT
Every Stanley Cup Playoff Game to be Televised Nationally for Second Straight Year
NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC and NHL Network to Carry Games
NBC Sports Live Extra to Live Stream All Games Airing on NBC, Plus All Games Airing on NBC Sports Network and CNBC via “TV Everywhere”
NBC & NBC Sports Network Combine to Cover Stanley Cup Final for Eighth Straight Year
Coverage Begins Tomorrow Night at 8 p.m. ET with Minnesota at Chicago on NBC Sports Network and Los Angeles at St. Louis on CNBCNEW YORK, N.Y. – April 29, 2013 – For the second consecutive year, and only the second time in the 96-year history of the NHL, every Stanley Cup Playoff game will be televised nationally. NBC Sports Group will provide unprecedented access to the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin tomorrow, in April, May and June, televising as many as 105 playoff games and possibly more than 260 hours of programming. Games will be presented on NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC (in primetime), and NHL Network. In addition, more Stanley Cup Playoff games will be live streamed than ever before.
NBC Sports Regional Networks will surround the Blackhawks (Comcast SportsNet Chicago), Bruins (Comcast SportsNet New England), Capitals (Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic), and Sharks (Comcast SportsNet California) with in-depth live-event and/or news coverage. NBCSports.com will provide comprehensive online coverage of the playoffs with online-only video, contributions from Comcast SportsNet insiders, and constant news updates from ProHockeyTalk.
“After a regular season which has seen significant viewership growth across both NBC and NBC Sports Network, we are proud to once again employ all of our assets – broadcast, cable, regional and digital – to surround the Stanley Cup Playoffs for hockey fans,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. “During the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs, NBC Sports Group will provide fans and viewers with more live-event, second screen and news coverage than any previous postseason in NHL history.”
NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA COVERAGE
NBC Sports Live Extra — the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream all Stanley Cup Playoff games that air on NBC, NBC Sports Network, and CNBC, including the Stanley Cup Final for the first time. 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;
- NBC Sports Network 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.”
CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS
Every first-round playoff game will be televised on a national platform.
In order to televise as many as four games on a given day/night, the NBC Sports Group will utilize NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC and the NHL Network to carry Conference Quarterfinal games.
NBC Sports Network will be the primary home of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, offering coverage of one or two games virtually every night of the first round. NBC will present exclusive afternoon coverage during the weekend of May 4-5.
CNBC and NHL Network will also provide live coverage in primetime. Games airing on NBC Sports Network, CNBC and the NHL Network will be subject to local blackouts in the first round.
See below for a complete Conference Quarterfinal schedule.
CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
NBC Sports Group’s Stanley Cup Playoff exclusivity originates with the Conference Semifinal round. Beginning in the second round and continuing through the Stanley Cup Final, all games will air exclusively on NBC, NBC Sports Network, or CNBC.
NBC Sports Network will serve as the primary home for Conference Semifinal coverage, offering one or two games virtually every night of the second round. When necessary, CNBC will provide live coverage in primetime, although more infrequently than in the first round. NBC will present exclusive afternoon coverage during the weekend of May 18-19, plus a primetime game on Saturday, May 25.
CONFERENCE FINALS
NBC and the NBC Sports Network will team to provide exclusive coverage of the Conference Finals. NBC will broadcast Saturday games on June 1 and June 8. The remaining games from both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals will be televised exclusively on NBC Sports Network.
STANLEY CUP FINAL
For the eighth consecutive year, NBC and NBC Sports Network (formerly VERSUS) will provide exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final. NBC will broadcast Game 1, Game 4, and Games 5-7 (if necessary), with NBC Sports Network televising Games 2-3. Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, analyst Eddie Olczyk and ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will call the Stanley Cup Final.
STUDIO COVERAGE
Robust pre-game, post-game and intermission studio programming throughout the 2013 NHL postseason will originate from NBC Sports Group’s new, state-of-the-art International Broadcast Center located in Stamford, Conn., except during the Stanley Cup Final, when the studio will be live from the game sites.
On most weeknights, fans can expect NHL studio programming for games airing on both NBC Sports Network and CNBC, sometimes simultaneously. NHL Live will usually begin one hour prior to game time, with post-game coverage airing immediately after the final game of the night.
On most days, the NHL Live team of Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury, and Keith Jones will man the studio for games airing on NBC and NBC Sports Network, with Bill Patrick and Jeremy Roenick working the studio for CNBC games. Host Russ Thaler and analysts Mike Keenan and Anson Carter form an additional team of studio commentators during the NHL playoffs.
ENCORES
Beginning on Wednesday, May 1 and continuing nearly every morning throughout the playoffs, NBC Sports Network will air encore presentations of the previous night’s NHL Live post-game show, as well as a cut-down version of the most exciting game of the night.
NHL Live post-game encores will air daily at 6 a.m. ET and 8:30 a.m. ET, with the game encore airing from 6:30-8:30 a.m. ET.
COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL COVERAGE
Through the NBC Sports Regional Networks, comprehensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided daily via Comcast SportsNet, available in more than 50 million U.S. households and the hometown network for the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, and Washington Capitals. In-depth coverage for those teams advancing to the postseason includes exclusive regional coverage of all first-round games with pre- and post-game shows.
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.
Comcast SportsNet New England will air special pre- and post-game coverage for all Boston Bruins games throughout the playoffs, as well as in-depth coverage and analysis of the team’s playoff run throughout all CSNNE programming and online at CSNNE.com.
NBCSPORTS.COM
In addition to its live stream coverage via NBC Sports Live Extra, NBCSports.com’s ProHockeyTalk, will anchor NBC Sports’ online and mobile coverage of the NHL playoffs.
ProHockeyTalk provides unique, informative and entertaining news, commentary and analysis — updated around the clock — on all the stories surrounding the NHL playoffs. Other NBCSports.com features will include:
- PHT Extra, a multiple-times-a-week online-only video segment.
- Online-only videos featuring NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network hockey commentators previewing upcoming playoff games and wrapping-up all of the NHL action that day.
- Content provided by Comcast SportsNet NHL insiders.
- An NHL Playoffs Channel Finder tool that will help fans locate the times and stations for every NHL playoff broadcast.
SOCIAL MEDIA
In addition to broadcast, cable, regional and digital platforms, NBC Sports Group will connect with NHL fans via numerous social media initiatives, including social integration, on-air integration and news:
- Social Integration:
- Social Stanley Cup Playoffs Schedule:
- Fans that come to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Schedule page on NBCSports.com/NHLonNBC will not only be able to see the weekly schedule updates, but also dive into a deep playoffs photo experience. Fans can upload photos showing their playoff team spirit directly to NBCSports.com or through team specific hashtags. Fans can vote on their favorite pictures and see the best of photos from the NHL and the teams using #StanleyCup. The best fan photos from this experience will be featured on-air during NBC and NBC Sports Network games.
- #StanleyCup: NHL Fans can join the conversation by using the #StanleyCup hash tag across every game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
- NHL on NBC Sports Instagram: NHL fans can upload photos to Instagram and use #StanleyCup. The NHL on NBC Sports Instagram account will feature the best fan photos round by round.
- Live Twitter Chats: Fans will have the opportunity to have live Twitter chats with NHL and NBC Sports personalities and commentators throughout the playoffs
- On-Air Integration:
- Playoff Polls: Fans can weigh in on a variety of NHL themed polls on Facebook and Twitter that commentators will discuss throughout the broadcasts.
- #MVPonNBC – During pre-game, post-game and in-game coverage, fans can tweet who they think the #MVPonNBC is. Commentators will discuss the fan favorites and weigh in with their own opinions.
- News:
- Fans can engage with Twitter (@NHLonNBCSports) and Facebook (facebook.com/NHLonNBCSports) to receive the most up to date tune-in information, scores, reports and stories from around the NHL and ProHockeyTalk.
CONFERENCE QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE
Coverage of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs begins tomorrow night with Conference Quarterfinal action at 8 p.m. ET when the Chicago Blackhawks (1) host the Minnesota Wild (8) on NBC Sports Network and the St. Louis Blues (4) host the defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings (5) on CNBC. Only the first four games of each series have been scheduled thus far.
Following is the current Conference Quarterfinal schedule (all times ET):
Tuesday, April 30 8 p.m. Minnesota (8) @ Chicago (1) NBCSN 8 p.m. Los Angeles (5) @ St. Louis (4) CNBC 10:30 p.m. Detroit (7) @ Anaheim (2) NBCSN Wednesday, May 1 7 p.m. Toronto (5) @ Boston (4) CNBC 7:30 p.m. N.Y. Islanders (8) @ Pittsburgh (1) NBCSN 10:30 p.m. San Jose (6) @ Vancouver (3) NBCSN Thursday, May 2 7 p.m. Ottawa (7) @ Montreal (2) CNBC 7:30 p.m. N.Y. Rangers (6) @ Washington (3) NBCSN 9:30 p.m. Los Angeles (5) @ St. Louis (4) CNBC 10 p.m. Detroit (7) @ Anaheim (2) NBCSN Friday, May 3 7 p.m. N.Y. Islanders (8) @ Pittsburgh (1) NBCSN 7 p.m. Ottawa (7) @ Montreal (2) CNBC 9:30 p.m. Minnesota (8) @ Chicago (1) NBCSN 10 p.m. San Jose (6) @ Vancouver (3) CNBC Saturday, May 4 12:30 p.m. N.Y. Rangers (6) @ Washington (3) NBC 7 p.m. Toronto (5) @ Boston (4) CNBC 7:30 p.m. Anaheim (2) @ Detroit (7) NBCSN 10 p.m. St. Louis (4) @ Los Angeles (5) NBCSN Sunday, May 5 Noon Pittsburgh (1) @ N.Y. Islanders (8) NBC 3 p.m. Chicago (1) @ Minnesota (8) NBC 7 p.m. Montreal (2) @ Ottawa (7) NBCSN 10 p.m. Vancouver (3) @ San Jose (6) NBCSN Monday, May 6 7 p.m. Boston (4) @ Toronto (5) NHL Network 7:30 p.m. Washington (3) @ N.Y. Rangers (6) NBCSN 8 p.m. Anaheim (2) @ Detroit (7) CNBC 10 p.m. St. Louis (4) @ Los Angeles (5) NBCSN Tuesday, May 7 7 p.m. Pittsburgh (1) @ N.Y. Islanders (8) NBCSN 7 p.m. Montreal (2) @ Ottawa (7) CNBC 9:30 p.m. Chicago (1) @ Minnesota (8) NBCSN 10 p.m. Vancouver (3) @ San Jose (6) CNBC Wednesday, May 8 7 p.m. Boston (4) @ Toronto (5) NHL Network 7:30 p.m. Washington (3) @ N.Y. Rangers (6) NBCSN
And that will do it.
