Let’s take a look at tonight’s three NHL Stanley Cup Playoff games, all of which are potential series clinchers.
Only one game is an original NBC production, New York Rangers at Philadelphia on NBCSN which has Kenny Albert and America’s Nightmare Pierre McGuire will be on the call.
Colorado at Minnesota on CNBC will be a TSN simulcast and San Jose at L.A. on NBCSN in the nightcap will be a Comcast SportsNet California simulcast.
Here are tonight’s particulars plus some ratings news from yesterday.
NHL ON NBC ANNOUNCING ASSIGNMENTS FOR MONDAY, APRIL 28 (All times ET)
Time Coverage Network Commentators 6:30 p.m. NHL Live NBCSN Kathryn Tappen, Mike Milbury, Keith Jones 7 p.m. Game 6 – (1) Pittsburgh at (4) Columbus NBCSN Kenny Albert, Pierre McGuire 9 p.m. Game 6 – (1) Colorado at (4) Minnesota CNBC (TSN Simulcast)
Gord Miller, Ray Ferraro, Farhan Lalji NHL Live (Intermission Reports) CNBC Russ Thaler, Anson Carter 10 p.m. Game 6 – (2) San Jose at (3) Los Angeles NBCSN (CSN California simulcast)
Randy Hahn, Drew Remenda TONIGHT – APRIL 28
NHL Live, hosted by Kathryn Tappen, Mike Milbury, and Keith Jones begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Russ Thaler will host NHL Live on CNBC at 9 p.m. ET alongside Anson Carter, leading into coverage of Avalanche-Wild.
Game coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN following NHL Live, as the (1) Pittsburgh Penguins look to advance to the second round with a victory over the (4) Columbus Blue Jackets. After the Blue Jackets scored early in Game 5 to take a 1-0 lead, the Penguins responded with goals from Chris Kunitz, Jussi Jokinen and Kris Letang, as Pittsburgh outshot Columbus 51-24 and won 3-1 to carry a 3-2 series lead back to Columbus. Kenny Albert (play-by-play) and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call from Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
CNBC presents Game 6 between the (1) Colorado Avalanche and (4) Minnesota Wild at 9 p.m. ET, as the Wild look to hold off the Avs and force a decisive Game 7 in Denver. Minnesota looked primed to take control of the series with a 3-2 lead late in Game 5, until P.A. Parenteau scored with 1:14 remaining in the third period, and Nathan MacKinnon scored 3:27 into overtime to give Colorado a 4-3 win, and a 3-2 series lead. Gord Miller, Ray Ferraro and Farhan Lalji will call the action from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
NBCSN’s doubleheader continues at 10 p.m. ET as the (2) San Jose Sharks try for third time to eliminate the (3) Los Angeles Kings and advance to the second round. San Jose held a 3-0 series lead heading into Game 4 in Los Angeles, but the Kings earned decisive 6-3 and 3-0 victories in Games 4 and 5 to seize momentum and force Game 6 in Los Angeles. Randy Hahn (play-by-play) and Drew Remenda (analyst) will call the action from Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.
In the event that the Penguins-Blue Jackets game on NBCSN runs beyond 10:15 p.m. ET, NHL Network will air puck drop of Sharks-Kings. Sharks-Kings will return to NBCSN immediately following the conclusion of Penguins-Blue Jackets, where it will be seen in its entirety.
REMINDER: Games airing on cable in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are subject to local blackouts.
BLUES-BLACKHAWKS AND FLYERS-RANGERS DRAW BIG RATINGS ON NBC
Yesterday’s Blues-Blackhawks game on NBC (3-6pm ET) delivered a 2.3 overnight rating, the highest of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs so far. There is no comparison to last year.
The game drew a 17.2 HH rating in Chicago, the highest ever for a first round Blackhawks game in the market. It drew a 12.7 HH rating in St. Louis, the highest for any Blues game ever on NBC in the market. NBC was the No. 1 network in both markets during the game.
Yesterday’s Flyers-Rangers game on NBC (Noon-3pm ET) posted a 1.6 overnight rating. There is no comparison to last year.
The game drew a 3.7 HH rating in the New York market, the highest ever rating for a first round Rangers game on NBC in the market. In Philadelphia, the game drew a 7.2HH rating. NBC was the No. 1 network in both markets during the game.
Final viewership figures for this weekend’s games, including those on cable, will be ready later today or this week.
(2) RANGERS-(3) FLYERS – GAME 6 – TUESDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
NBCSN will present Game 6 between the (2) New York Rangers and (3) Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. ET, as the Rangers look to advance to the second round with a win on the road. The home team has won every game thus far in the series, including the Rangers’ 4-2 victory in New York on Sunday afternoon to take a 3-2 series lead.
Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike “Doc” Emrick will call the action alongside Eddie Olczyk and McGuire from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa.
GAMES TELEVISED SO FAR
For the third consecutive year, NBC, NBCSN, CNBC and NHL Network are combining to televise every Stanley Cup Playoff game nationally.
Network Games NBC 6 NBCSN 23 CNBC 10 NHL-N 2 Total 41 One-goal Games: 22
OT games: 13
That’s all.
