This being Day 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Year 1 of the NBC Sports Group’s 10 year contract with the NHL, this concept of having all postseason games aired nationally is a new concept for US hockey fans.
It’s a great thing and being able to switch between CNBC, NBC Sports Network and NHL Network most nights during the Conference Quarterfinal and Semifinal rounds just makes me giddy.
Tonight, we have two 4-5 matchups (Pittsburgh-Philadelphia and Nashville-Detroit) along with a 1-8 to start us off. NBC Sports Network will have a doubleheader while CNBC will carry the other game.
Unfortunately in this NBC Sports Group press release, we don’t have announcing assignments. I wrote an e-mail to NBC asking for assignments for the Conference Quarterfinals and never got a response. Usually, NBC is right on top of my questions, but I never received one in this case.
No matter, we’ll post what we have from The Group.
2012 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS — DAY 1
FIERCE FLYERS-PENGUINS RIVALRY BEGINS POST-SEASON COVERAGE TONIGHT AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK
Red Wings @ Predators, 8 p.m. ET — CNBC
Kings @ Canucks, 10:30 p.m. ET — NBC Sports Network
Coverage begins nightly with NHL Live at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports NetworkNEW YORK – April 11, 2012 – Day 1 – The NBC Sports Group begins its presentation of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight with a doubleheader on NBC Sports Network and one game on CNBC.
TONIGHT
The #4 Pittsburgh Penguins host #5 Philadelphia Flyers in a fierce in-state Eastern Conference rivalry at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. Shortly thereafter, the Western Conference playoffs begin with the #4 Nashville Predators hosting the #5 Detroit Red Wings at 8 p.m. ET on CNBC. At 10:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, the Western Conference’s top-seeded Vancouver Canucks host the #8 Los Angeles Kings. Coverage begins every game night at 6:30 p.m. ET with NHL Live on NBC Sports Network. Tonight’s schedule (all times ET):
7:30 p.m. #5 Philadelphia Flyers @ #4 Pittsburgh Penguins (Game 1) NBCSN 8 p.m. #5 Detroit Red Wings @ #4 Nashville Predators (Game 1) CNBC 10:30 p.m. #8 Los Angeles Kings @ # 1 Vancouver Canucks (Game 1) NBCSN COMCAST SPORTSNETS
In addition, four Comcast SportsNets – California (San Jose Sharks), Chicago (Blackhawks, Mid-Atlantic (Capitals) and Philadelphia (Flyers) — will air live first-round coverage in their local markets. Those networks will also surround their live games with additional Stanley Cup-related coverage. Tonight’s CSN schedule (all times ET):
7:30 p.m. #5 Philadelphia Flyers @ #4 Pittsburgh Penguins (Game 1) CSN Philadephia Comcast SportsNet New England will air special pre- and post-game coverage for all 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.
CHANNEL FINDER
With every 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff game airing nationally for the first time, the NBC Sports Group created a channel finder to help fans find NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC or NHL Network in their area by simply entering a zip code.
Click here for the channel finder:http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46907840/ns/sports-nhl/
GAMES TELEVISED SO FAR
For the first time in the 95-year history of the NHL, every Stanley Cup Playoff game will be televised nationally. The NBC Sports Group will provide unprecedented access to the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs in April, May and June, televising as many as 105 playoff games and possibly more than 262.5 hours of programming. Games will be presented on NBC, the NBC Sports Network, the NHL Network, and NBCUniversal’s business channel CNBC in primetime.
NBC Sports Network None CNBC None NHL Network None NBC None
That’s going to do it.
