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TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING WIN THE STANLEY CUP ON NBC

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Notes and Quotes – Stanley Cup Final Game 6 on NBC

Lightning Capture Franchise’s Second Stanley Cup with 2-0 Victory Against Dallas Stars in Game 6

“Incredible theater and incredible entertainment… The Tampa Bay Lightning were on a mission, no doubt about it.” – Eddie Olczyk

“He only played part of one period dating back to February, but there is no one who denies how important he was.”  – Doc Emrick on Lightning Captain Steven Stamkos

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 29, 2020 – NBC Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final culminated tonight in historic fashion on NBC, as the Tampa Bay Lightning won the second Stanley Cup in the franchise’s 27-year history (also won in 2004) by defeating the Dallas Stars in a 2-0 shutout in Game 6 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. All Stanley Cup Final games were played at Rogers Place.

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, and Brian Boucher called the game along with Pierre McGuire providing reports and player interviews. Olczyk, Boucher and McGuire were on site at Rogers Place, while Emrick called the action from a home studio. Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Anson Carter and Patrick Sharp provided studio commentary during intermissions and post-game from NBC Sports’ headquarters in Stamford, Conn. John Forslund also provided commentary from Rogers Place during pre-game coverage.

Tonight’s NHL Live included a feature on Philip Pritchard, the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Keeper of the Cup. Pre-game coverage also included a feature on Tampa Bay forward Brayden Point.

Following are notes and quotes from the Lightning’s Cup-clinching victory:

POST-GAME

Emrick on 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs: “Concluding a two-month period of tremendous competition, unity among all the players, both in and away from the bubble. Game 130. Day 59. One team will get their names on the trophy, the other disappointed. But deep in the heart of Texas, what a gallant performance from the team in green…after (the Lightning) congratulate each other and get over the glorious shock of having won, they realize there is another noble tradition of all of this – and that is the handshakes.”

Emrick on Lightning captain Steven Stamkos: “He only played part of one period dating back to February, but there is no one who denies how important he was.”

Olczyk on 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs: “A lot of people said that the National Hockey League wouldn’t be able to pull this off – and they did in a big way with a boatload of help from a lot of people. These teams, these coaches, these players, these trainers, the medical professionals – incredible theater and incredible entertainment, with the understanding of what’s going on in the real world. A valiant effort by the Dallas Stars. The Tampa Bay Lightning were on a mission, no doubt about it.”

Olczyk on the Lightning: “No team had more pressure on them at the start of the bubble scenario than the Tampa Bay Lightning…they really changed the makeup of their club, they went out and got a little bigger, got a little tougher, got a little deeper…sometimes you have to have some adversity and sometimes you have to get knocked down, but the true colors of someone or some team aren’t when things are great but when things are tough, and that’s when you show what the hell you’re made of.”

Tappen: “The greatest trophy in all of sports being handed out to the team that deserved it most.”

Sharp on Stamkos: “Steven Stamkos was their inspirational leader…Tampa won the Stanley Cup without their best forward or one of their best forwards. That’s how dangerous this team was.”

Jones on the Lightning: “They put on a very good demonstration of everything they represented tonight. They defended well, they got goals, got goaltending, they were the better team, the best team throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs and deserved to hoist the Cup at the end.”

Sharp on Tampa Bay RW Nikita Kucherov: “He’s been through a lot with this Tampa Bay team. A few losses over the years. I thought he was really impressive in this postseason, how he fought through some tough checking in the Boston and Columbus series, and you see by his body language how much it means to him.”

Carter while watching the Lightning’s champagne-drenched locker room celebration: “I go back to the other team celebrations. You watch basketball, you watch baseball, you watch football, and this is once again another example of why hockey players are the toughest players – no ski goggles. (laughter) Guys are in there toughing it out. The champagne’s flowing, the beer is flowing, that stuff stings your eyes, but hockey players are going without the goggles.”

THIRD PERIOD

Emrick: “And the Tampa Bay Lightning have won the Stanley Cup!”

Emrick on the Stanley Cup: “It is glorious, magnificent, the words don’t really describe it, especially when you get to hold it…the sacrifices that you make to somehow or another try to get that Cup in your hands and eventually get your name on it.”

SECOND INTERMISSION

Sharp on Tampa Bay: “They’re right there, 20 minutes away…I can tell you there is no fatigue, no injuries in that Tampa Bay locker room. They’re going to all have legs and be buzzing around…it’s a special time for Tampa Bay.”

SECOND PERIOD

Olczyk on strong play of Lightning: “Tampa can feel it right now. Dallas does not have a lot of energy here and hasn’t had a lot of energy in this second period. Dallas looks like they’re playing uphill and Tampa is playing downhill.”

Boucher on C Blake Coleman’s goal, 2-0 Lightning: “The Dallas Stars fan growing up gets one against his favorite team as a kid and makes it 2-0. Good job by (Patrick) Maroon to pick this off in the neutral zone and drive the center lane which opens up the passing lane…a terrific play executed perfectly by Maroon, (Cedric) Paquette and Coleman.”

Olczyk on Tampa Bay LW Patrick Maroon: “The hand-eye coordination by Patrick Maroon, who won the Stanley Cup last year in St. Louis, comes to Tampa…Maroon had just jumped on the ice, knocks it out of mid-air.”

FIRST INTERMISSION

Carter on Dallas C Joe Pavelski: “As a player in the locker room, you learn more from the guy sitting next to you in the uniform than the guy sitting behind you with the cheap suit on…the coaching staff can tell you what they want to tell you, but you learn from the players around you. You watch Joe Pavelski play the game. It’s not all about scoring goals, he blocks shots, he’s huge in faceoffs, his whole all-around game really talks about what he’s all about – winning hockey games.”

FIRST PERIOD

Boucher on C Brayden Point’s goal, 1-0 Lightning: “(Anton) Khudobin was not able to corral that puck, I think he thought it was in between his arm and his rib. It wasn’t. An easy put away for Brayden Point.”

Boucher on Stars to end first period: “Some positive momentum for the Dallas Stars at the end of this period. They don’t score, but they get some chances.”

PRE-GAME

Sharp on playing in a Cup-clinching game: “Some of the best advice I ever got was to try and stay as relaxed as you can leading up to the game. Trust when that puck drops, adrenaline will be going, energy will be flowing through your body…it’s something that is on your mind the entire game. Every shift you’re on the ice, the play you make could win or lose the game for your team.”

Jones on this year’s Tampa Bay Lightning: “They’ve been really resilient and bouncing back after difficult losses. In previous seasons, I’d be worried about Tampa. I’m not worried about them tonight. I think they find a way to get the job done. It’s a different Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team.”

Sharp on pre-game mentality: “Lot of nervous energy, usually you hear that crowd going in whatever building you are in…these guys are manufacturing their own energy, their own intensity and it’s been really impressive to see throughout this entire postseason, the level of hockey we get to watch. It’s an empty building they are playing in, we have to remind everyone about that, looks like playoff hockey from where I’m sitting.”

Sharp on pressure facing the Lightning: “I don’t want to speak for the players in the Tampa Bay locker room, but I would think the pressure falls on their shoulders. The series at 3-1, everyone was counting out the Dallas Stars, planning the parade for the Lightning…they’ve had a full day to digest and understand they have two cracks at this thing.”

–NBC SPORTS–

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING CAN WIN THE STANLEY CUP TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBC

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Game 6 Pre-Game Coverage Begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Stanley Cup Final Game 7 (If Necessary) – Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC

Tampa Bay Lightning Lead Dallas Stars in Series 3-2

WWE Superstar and Lightning Fan Titus O’Neil Featured on Special Stanley Cup Final Episode of Anson Carter’s Hockey Culture

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 28, 2020 – The 2020 Stanley Cup Final between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning continues with exclusive coverage of Game 6 tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Tonight’s pre-game coverage begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. All Stanley Cup Final games are taking place at Rogers Place in the NHL bubble in Edmonton, Alberta.

Eight-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick will handle play-by-play duties for Game 6 alongside U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst). Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire will provide reports and player interviews throughout the game.

Kathryn Tappen will host tonight’s studio coverage alongside studio analysts Keith Jones, Anson Carter and Patrick Sharp.

Pre-game coverage on NHL Live will include an interview with Philip Pritchard, the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Keeper of the Cup as well as a feature on forward Brayden Point of the Lightning, who currently has the second-most points (32) this postseason, trailing only teammate Nikita Kucherov (33 pts).

With a 3-2 series lead, Tampa Bay can win the franchise’s second Stanley Cup (2004) with a victory tonight, while Dallas will look to force a decisive Game 7 on Wednesday night. Stars forward Corey Perry scored the game-winning goal as Dallas defeated Tampa Bay 3-2 in double overtime to avoid elimination in Game 5 on Saturday.

Highlighted quotes from the matchup are below. Click here for full notes and quotes from Game 5.

Olczyk: “The Dallas Stars a gutsy performance here in Game 5…an incredible hockey game. Theater galore.”

Jones on Dallas RW Corey Perry: “Corey Perry was the best player on the ice in this game. He deserved to score the game-winning goal. He was the most-noticeable and most-effective player.”

Jones on Dallas goaltender Anton Khudobin: “This guy has been one of the biggest stories of the playoffs and he doesn’t want his story to end just yet. The final chapter has not been written and he’s doing his part to keep this thing going.”

Emrick on Khudobin: “So many questions asked about his ability to play back-to-back games. Size, age and all of that. Question mark replaced by an exclamation point thus far.”

Last week, WWE superstar and Tampa Bay Lightning fan Titus O’Neil joined Anson Carter on a special Stanley Cup Final episode of NBC Sports’ Hockey Culture, an initiative led by Carter, dedicated to bringing equality and inclusion to the sport of hockey. O’Neil and Carter discussed a number of topics, including how O’Neil became a fan of the Lightning, his childhood and the impact he has made in the local Tampa community. Below is a highlighted quote from the conversation:

O’Neil on what his work in the local Tampa community means to him: “Being able to have a place where people can grow, learn and have pride in…there should be some sort of culture set…there’s so many elements that can happen with change, but the biggest thing we’ve seen is that there are so many partners in this community that care and want to see the work done.” 

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Senior Executive Vice President, Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs, Kim Davis, joined Carter for a conversation on diversity and inclusion in hockey last week. For notable quotes from the Hockey Culture episode, click here.

Following is the upcoming Stanley Cup Final schedule:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET) Commentators
Mon., Sept. 28 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m. Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp
  Game 6 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBC 8 p.m. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire
Wed., Sept. 30 NHL Live* NBCSN 7 p.m. Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp
  Game 7 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay* NBC 8 p.m. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire

* If Necessary

NBC SPORTS RADIO STANLEY CUP FINAL BROADCAST DETAILS

In conjunction with Westwood One, NBC Sports Radio will broadcast every game of the Stanley Cup Final. Kenny Albert and Joe Micheletti will call the Cup Final, while Steve Goldstein will serve as host during pre- and post-game and intermissions.

2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL SCHEDULE

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Mon., Sept. 28 Game 6 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBC 8 p.m.
Wed., Sept. 30 Game 7 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay* NBC 8 p.m.

* If Necessary

–NBC SPORTS–

NOTES AND QUOTES – STANLEY CUP FINAL GAME 5 ON NBC

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Dallas Stars Defeat Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in Double Overtime at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

“An incredible hockey game. Theater galore.” – Eddie Olczyk

“Corey Perry was the best player on the ice in this game. He deserved to score the game-winning goal.” – Keith Jones

Lightning Can Win Stanley Cup in Game 6 – Monday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC – Pre-game Coverage on NHL Live Starts at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 27, 2020 – NBC Sports continued its exclusive presentation of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final last night with Game 5 between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on NBC. Stars forward Corey Perry scored the game-winning goal as Dallas defeated Tampa Bay 3-2 in double overtime to avoid elimination and cut Tampa Bay’s series lead to 3-2. All Stanley Cup Final games are being played at Rogers Place.

Game 6 takes place Monday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Pre-game coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with NHL Live on NBCSN. With a victory, Tampa Bay can win the franchise’s second Stanley Cup (2004), while Dallas will look to force a decisive Game 7.

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, and Brian Boucher called the game along with Pierre McGuire providing reports and player interviews. Olczyk, Boucher and McGuire were on site at Rogers Place, while Emrick called the action from a home studio. Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Anson Carter and Patrick Sharp provided studio commentary during intermissions and post-game from NBC Sports’ headquarters in Stamford, Conn.

Following are notes and quotes from Game 5:

POST-GAME

Jones on Dallas RW Corey Perry: “Corey Perry was the best player on the ice in this game. He deserved to score the game-winning goal. He was the most-noticeable and most-effective player.”

Sharp on impact of Dallas’ C Joe Pavelski and Perry: “Pavelski scores goals when his team needs him the most…when these guys get opportunities, they know what to do with it.”

Carter: “Amazing Corey Perry. I had no idea he still had that in his skill set. I really didn’t.”

DOUBLE OVERTIME

Olczyk: “The Dallas Stars a gutsy performance here in Game 5…an incredible hockey game. Theater galore.”

Emrick on Dallas goaltender Anton Khudobin: “So many questions asked about his ability to play back-to-back games. Size, age and all of that. Question mark replaced by an exclamation point thus far.”

SECOND OVERTIME INTERMISSION

Jones on Khudobin: “This guy has been one of the biggest stories of the playoffs and he doesn’t want his story to end just yet. The final chapter has not been written and he’s doing his part to keep this thing going.”

OVERTIME

Emrick: “Is there enough drama for you?”

OVERTIME INTERMISSION

Jones on impact of Pavelski and Perry: “They are refusing to go home. Both players have had major influences on the Dallas Stars really all Playoffs long and tonight they have been exceptional, especially Corey Perry…this is vintage Corey Perry, we haven’t seen this for a couple of years. There’s no question that if Dallas didn’t have Perry and Pavelski going, we wouldn’t be talking about overtime.”

THIRD PERIOD

Emrick: “Playoff hockey is a battle of wills. Marvelous action.”

Olczyk: “What a gutsy effort by the Stars, who are banged up, but they found a way to get to overtime here in Game 5.”

Boucher on C Pavelski’s game-tying goal, tied 2-2: “Joe Pavelski, who was awesome in Game 4, comes through here in Game 5…the rebound by Pavelski, he puts it home. That is a historic goal for Joe Pavelski.”

Boucher on D Mikhail Sergachev’s go-ahead goal, 2-1 Lightning: “I don’t think (Anton) Khudobin was able to locate this puck, but (Mikhail) Sergachev got a lot on it. No tip. Through the screen, inside the post – a perfect shot by Sergachev.”

SECOND INTERMISSION

Jones on Stars: “Follow Corey Perry’s lead. He’s been outstanding…I don’t mind the Dallas Stars’ top players’ performance so far in this game, but if they’re going to beat (Andrei) Vasilevskiy, it’s going to be on the sticks of Perry, (Tyler) Seguin and (Jamie) Benn.”

Sharp on Tampa Bay LW Ondrej Palat: “He’s not undervalued inside that locker room…I bet every forward on that team wants to play on a line with Ondrej Palat…he does the little things, wins a ton of battles, he gets to the front of the net and he scores beautiful goals.”

Carter on Tampa Bay’s urgency throughout the first two periods: “They’ve got to stay on the body…Tampa Bay forwards (need to) get back to pounding. They’ve gotten this far by being physical, making them pay the price and they can’t deviate from that if they want to hoist the Cup tonight.”

SECOND PERIOD

Olczyk on Palat’s goal, tied 1-1: “I don’t know why (Anton) Khudobin did not poke check that puck. He just stayed in his net. I’m sure for Palat, his eyes got awfully large as he took the puck to the blue point and he was able to skate from one side to the other.”

FIRST INTERMISSION

Jones on Khudobin: “He looks confident, which is what impresses me the most…anytime you think that the cracks in the armor are really going to start to show, he finds a way to come up with a big performance.”

Carter on Tampa Bay LW Pat Maroon: “He wasn’t brought in to score goals. After last season’s disappointment, he was brought in because the Tampa Bay Lightning needed an attitude adjustment…whenever something was going on during the regular season, the first guy to stand up in the room and say, ‘Hey boys, that’s not the way to do it. This is how we did it in St. Louis,’ is a guy like Patty Maroon. Now he has the hardware on his finger, so the guys are more likely to listen to him, as opposed to someone that comes to the room and hasn’t won a championship before.”

FIRST PERIOD

Boucher on Perry’s goal, 1-0 Stars: “Shoots this one through the arm of (Andrei) Vasilevskiy, kind of an odd first period with very little whistles. Tough for a goaltender to get into the groove.”

Olczyk: “Mikhail Sergachev was struggling the last 20 seconds of that shift…he runs right into (Alexander) Radulov and you see him leaning over, so Tampa Bay was basically playing with only four players because Sergachev really never moved.”

PRE-GAME

Emrick: “Will it be the bubble again or champagne bubbles?”

–NBC SPORTS–

NOTES AND QUOTES – STANLEY CUP FINAL GAME 4 ON NBC

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Tampa Bay Lightning Defeat Dallas Stars 5-4 in Overtime at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

“It was marvelous and much will be said.” – Doc Emrick on Game 4

“The guy that the puck went off of for the tying goal…ends up being the hero.” – Brian Boucher on Kevin Shattenkirk’s Overtime-Winning Goal

“Really a devastating loss for Dallas especially for how quick the next game comes.” – Keith Jones

Lightning Can Win Stanley Cup in Game 5 – Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 26, 2020 – NBC Sports continued its exclusive presentation of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final tonight with Game 4 between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on NBC. Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk netted the overtime-winning goal and Brayden Point scored two goals as Tampa Bay defeated Dallas 5-4 to take a 3-1 series lead. All Stanley Cup Final games are being played at Rogers Place.

Game 5 will be exclusively presented on NBC Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET. With a victory, Tampa Bay can win the franchise’s second Stanley Cup (2004).

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, and Brian Boucher called the game along with Pierre McGuire providing reports and player interviews. Olczyk, Boucher and McGuire were on site at Rogers Place, while Emrick called the action from a home studio. Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Anson Carter and Patrick Sharp provided studio commentary during intermissions from NBC Sports’ headquarters in Stamford, Conn. John Forslund also provided commentary from Rogers Place during pre-game coverage.

During NHL Live, Tappen interviewed the Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney to discuss the success of the NHL’s bubble in the Canadian province. Washington Capitals forward and 2014 Winter Olympics Team USA hockey member T.J. Oshie also joined the program to reflect on the Capitals season and looked ahead to next season under new coach Peter Laviolette. Pre-game coverage also included a feature on Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman.

Following are notes and quotes from Game 4:

POST-GAME

Jones on impact of loss for Dallas: “Really a devastating loss for Dallas especially for how quick the next game comes, starting tomorrow night is going to be a real tough challenge for Dallas.”

Sharp on Dallas LW Jamie Benn penalty in overtime: “You felt like a call was coming towards the Dallas Stars…that arm is free, (Tyler) Johnson goes down and that’s right after a 4-on-3 power play as well, so you know Tampa is going to get their crack at it.”

Jones on Dallas LW Jamie Benn penalty in overtime: “Any time you take your hand off the stick and wrap it around the player on the opposition, they’re going to call it. I don’t think tripping necessarily had to be the call, it could have been holding just as well.”

OVERTIME

Emrick on Game 4: “It was marvelous and much will be said.”

Olczyk on Dallas LW Jamie Benn penalty in overtime: “Francis Charron just said to Jamie Benn that he kicked the skates out from Tyler Johnson – and he never did…he was the trailing official…that’s just a hockey play, it’s a physical confrontation. It’s the wrong call.”

Bouch on Tampa D Kevin Shattenkirk’s overtime-winning goal: “The guy that the puck went off of for the tying goal…ends up being the hero.”

Olczyk: “Shattenkirk took the ice that was there. Instead of shooting it from about 50 feet, he only shot it from about 25.”

OVERTIME INTERMISSION

Jones on Dallas C Joe Pavelski: “In the face-off circle he has been absolutely dominating…he’s been terrific in all situations.”

Jones on embellishment call late in third period: “The veteran Corey Perry got a break. This is a penalty on Perry and I don’t know what else Brayden Point can do when you have a stick in your midsection that like. There’s nowhere else you can go. Point is frustrated by the call and I don’t blame him.”

THIRD PERIOD

Boucher on embellishment call late in third period: “I don’t agree with that call. I don’t think that’s an embellishment on (Brayden) Point at all. Look at the stick from (Corey) Perry, right between the legs. I don’t see any embellishment there. I think Corey Perry catches a break. You can see why Brayden Point was incensed.”

Boucher: “There’s times when you can look to be cute and there’s times when you just have to get the job done and Dallas did that on that fourth goal.”

Boucher on C Alex Killorn goal, 4-3 Lightning: “This is one that (Anton) Khudobin has to come up with…that’s a nothing shot from out there. You should be able to get back to your feet and come up with that save. Khudobin doesn’t, he stays flat on the goal line, and that’s why that far side was open. That is a backbreaking goal here in the third period.”

Olczyk on momentum early in the third period: “If you’re Tampa right now, you can feel it. You’re playing your game. Dallas is not, you’re spending a lot of time in their own zone. If you’re Tampa, you’re saying it’s only a matter of time. If you’re Dallas…all it takes is one play for Dallas to gain confidence and traction.”

SECOND INTERMISSION

Carter on Dallas goaltender Anton Khudobin: “The Dallas Stars are very lucky that Anton Khudobin has been strong and solid for them in net or else there would be a different outcome in this game.”

Sharp on Dallas C Tyler Seguin: “Seguin looked like a different player after that assist, body language, he had confidence flowing through his body. Good job by Rick Bowness to get him out there for a few offensive zone faceoffs.”

SECOND PERIOD

Olczyk on C Brayden Point’s second goal of the game, tied 2-2: “This puck takes a crazy carom…it goes up and over the net…it goes off the stick of Andrej Sekera, and out of mid-air, Brayden Point with his second here in Game 4.”

Boucher: “Terrific hand-eye coordination by (Brayden) Point…(Anton) Khudobin had no chance, he had no idea where that puck was.”

Olczyk on RW Corey Perry’s go-ahead goal, 3-2 Stars: “Corey Perry just fights to find this puck while he’s in the blue paint. A huge lift for the Dallas Stars.”

Boucher on C Yanni Gourde’s goal, tied 3-3: “Tough break for Dallas here. It’s the second unit with (Nikita) Kucherov still out on the ice, good puck movement by (Ondrej) Palat to get it to the point of attack, look at the skate of (Esa) Lindell…kicks it right to Gourde.”

FIRST INTERMISSION

Sharp on Dallas: “It was the right guys stepping up for Dallas, wasn’t it? John Klingberg gets them on the board, and then Joe Pavelski, how many times have we said his name, stepping up at a clutch moment.”

Carter on Dallas’ defense: “I liked John Klingberg’s first period…he’s become more aggressive up the ice and that’s what the Dallas defensemen have to do. Miro Heiskanen same thing – get aggressive. Try and put more pressure on the Tampa Bay defensemen.”

FIRST PERIOD

Boucher on D John Klingberg goal, 1-0 Stars: “It’s difficult as a goaltender when you’re focused on the initial shot and it never comes. You have to get reset and Klingberg was able to re-corral that puck and surprise (Andrei) Vasilevskiy.”

Boucher on C Joe Pavelski’s breakaway goal, 2-0 Stars: “Because Pavelski is a right-hand shot, he gets (Andrei) Vasilevskiy to move to his left and that opens up the far side, and a terrific start for the Dallas Stars to be opportunistic.”

Olczyk on C Brayden Point’s goal in final minute of first period, 2-1 Stars: “That is a gigantic goal at the end of the first period.”

Emrick: “The last two shots on goal have gone in. (Brayden) Point regains his league lead in goal scoring at 12, after (Joe) Pavelski tied him up at 11, but in this team sport, the Lightning more importantly cut the Dallas to just a single goal.”

PRE-GAME

Jones on Tampa Bay D Victor Hedman if the Lightning win this year’s Stanley Cup: “He gets there with the all-time greats – Nicklas Lidström, Ray Bourque, Chris Pronger – recent players that have had great success and help their teams win Stanley Cups. We know he does all those things that make a team great and make other players around him better, but what I love most about Hedman’s game…is that he took a contract that was friendly to the Tampa Bay Lightning so they could build a team around him that can win Stanley Cups.”

Sharp on Dallas C Tyler Seguin: “I think he’s due for a breakout game…if there’s anyone on that roster that’s going to maintain confidence through a scoring drought, it’s Tyler Seguin.”

Boucher on Dallas goaltender Anton Khudobin: “It’s Anton Khudobin or die for the Dallas Stars. I think you have to ride Khudobin no matter what…it’s all up to Khudobin to bounce back, to find a way to get through this game tonight and find a way to be there for his team in Game 5 on Saturday.”

–NBC SPORTS–

2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL GAMES 4 AND 5 – TONIGHT AND SATURDAY AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBC

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Pre-Game Coverage Begins Tonight with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Stanley Cup Final Game 5 – Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC

Tampa Bay Lightning Lead Dallas Stars in Series 2-1; Lightning Can Win Stanley Cup with Victories Tonight and Saturday

WWE Superstar and Lightning Fan Titus O’Neil Featured on Special Stanley Cup Final Episode of Anson Carter’s Hockey Culture

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 25, 2020 – The 2020 Stanley Cup Final between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning continues with exclusive coverage on NBC of Games 4 and 5 tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. Tonight’s pre-game coverage begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. All Stanley Cup Final games are taking place at Rogers Place in the NHL bubble in Edmonton, Alberta.

Eight-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick will handle play-by-play duties for Games 4 and 5 alongside U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst). Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire will provide reports and player interviews throughout the game.

Kathryn Tappen will host studio coverage throughout the weekend alongside studio analysts Keith Jones, Anson Carter and Patrick Sharp.

With a 2-1 series lead, Tampa Bay can win the franchise’s second Stanley Cup with victories tonight and Saturday. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos returned from injury for his first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and scored on his very first shot in the opening period, as Tampa Bay defeated Dallas 5-2 on Wednesday.

Highlighted quotes from the matchup are below. Click here for full notes and quotes from Game 3.

Emrick on Tampa Bay C Steven Stamkos’ goal: “My goodness, right out of a storybook…First game. First shot. First goal.”

Emrick on the Lightning: “Inspired by the return of their captain, they have taken a lead in the series, two games to one…they have talked during these playoffs about how (Steven) Stamkos had inspired them just by being in the dressing room in civilian clothes, and then how it was so much fun to see him on the ice in skates in practice. But now, on the ice in skates – though briefly – scoring a goal on his first shot.”

Jones on the Lightning: “What impresses me the most is the way they reacted when (Steven) Stamkos could no longer participate in the game. He obviously was a big factor in the first period, scored the goal, but that can deflate a team when a guy’s unavailable when the second period rolls around…their depth really came to the forefront and their star players were outstanding.”

Olczyk on importance of capitalizing on momentum: “(The Stars) weren’t able to capitalize when they had the momentum. When you have it, you’ve got to do something with it. You saw it in the second period when Tampa had all of the momentum and put a crooked number on the board.”

WWE superstar and Tampa Bay Lightning fan Titus O’Neil joined Anson Carter on the latest episode of NBC Sports’ Hockey Culture, an initiative led by Carter, dedicated to bringing equality and inclusion to the sport of hockey. O’Neil and Carter discussed a number of topics, including how O’Neil became a fan of the Lightning, his childhood and the impact he has made in the local Tampa community. Below is a highlighted quote from the conversation:

O’Neil on what his work in the local Tampa community means to him: “Being able to have a place where people can grow, learn and have pride in…there should be some sort of culture set…there’s so many elements that can happen with change, but the biggest thing we’ve seen is that there are so many partners in this community that care and want to see the work done.” 

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Senior Executive Vice President, Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs, Kim Davis, joined Carter for a conversation on diversity and inclusion in hockey earlier this week. For notable quotes from the Hockey Culture episode, click here.

Following is the weekend’s Stanley Cup Final schedule:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET) Commentators
Fri., Sept. 25 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m. Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp
  Game 4 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBC 8 p.m. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire
Sat., Sept. 26 Game 5 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay NBC 8 p.m. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire

 

NBC SPORTS RADIO STANLEY CUP FINAL BROADCAST DETAILS

In conjunction with Westwood One, NBC Sports Radio will broadcast every game of the Stanley Cup Final. Kenny Albert and Joe Micheletti will call the Cup Final, while Steve Goldstein will serve as host during pre- and post-game and intermissions.

2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL SCHEDULE

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Fri., Sept. 25 Game 4 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBC 8 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26 Game 5 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay NBC 8 p.m.
Mon., Sept. 28 Game 6 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas* NBC 8 p.m.
Wed., Sept. 30 Game 7 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay* NBC 8 p.m.

* If Necessary

–NBC SPORTS–

2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL CONTINUES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBC

By

Tampa Bay Lightning Lead Dallas Stars in Series 2-1

Game 4 Pre-Game Coverage Begins Tomorrow with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN

“Right out of a storybook…First game. First shot. First goal.” – Doc Emrick on Steven Stamkos

“(The Stars) weren’t able to capitalize when they had the momentum. When you have it, you’ve got to do something with it.” – Eddie Olczyk

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 24, 2020 – The 2020 Stanley Cup Final between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning continues with exclusive coverage of Games 4 and 5 on NBC Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. ET. Friday’s pre-game coverage begins with NHL Live at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. All Stanley Cup Final games are taking place at Rogers Place in the NHL bubble in Edmonton, Alberta.

Eight-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick will handle play-by-play duties for Games 4 and 5 alongside U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Brian Boucher (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst). Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire will provide reports and player interviews throughout both games.

Kathryn Tappen will host studio coverage throughout the weekend alongside studio analysts Keith Jones, Anson Carter and Patrick Sharp.

Last night, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos returned from injury for his first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and scored on his very first shot in the first period, as Tampa Bay defeated Dallas 5-2 to take a 2-1 series lead.

Highlighted quotes from last night’s matchup are below. Click here for full notes and quotes from Game 3.

Emrick on Tampa Bay C Steven Stamkos’ goal: “My goodness, right out of a storybook…First game. First shot. First goal.”

Emrick on the Lightning: “Inspired by the return of their captain, they have taken a lead in the series, two games to one…they have talked during these playoffs about how (Steven) Stamkos had inspired them just by being in the dressing room in civilian clothes, and then how it was so much fun to see him on the ice in skates in practice. But now, on the ice in skates – though briefly – scoring a goal on his first shot.”

Jones on the Lightning: “What impresses me the most is the way they reacted when (Steven) Stamkos could no longer participate in the game. He obviously was a big factor in the first period, scored the goal, but that can deflate a team when a guy’s unavailable when the second period rolls around…their depth really came to the forefront and their star players were outstanding.”

Olczyk on importance of capitalizing on momentum: “(The Stars) weren’t able to capitalize when they had the momentum. When you have it, you’ve got to do something with it. You saw it in the second period when Tampa had all of the momentum and put a crooked number on the board.”

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Senior Executive Vice President, Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs, Kim Davis, joined Anson Carter for a conversation on diversity and inclusion in hockey on the latest episode of NBC Sports’ Hockey Culture, an initiative led by Carter, dedicated to bringing equality and inclusion to the sport of hockey.

Bettman, Davis and Carter discussed a number of topics, including the NHL’s pause in play in late August during the playoffs to fight social injustice, how to increase diversity and inclusion in the sport of hockey and how they hope to see progress within the sport in the next five years.

Following is the weekend’s Stanley Cup Final schedule:

Date Coverage Network Time (ET) Commentators
Fri., Sept. 25 NHL Live NBCSN 7 p.m. Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp
  Game 4 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBC 8 p.m. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire
Sat., Sept. 26 Game 5 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay NBC 8 p.m. Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire

 

2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL SCHEDULE

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)
Fri., Sept. 25 Game 4 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBC 8 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26 Game 5 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay NBC 8 p.m.
Mon., Sept. 28 Game 6 – Tampa Bay vs. Dallas* NBC 8 p.m.
Wed., Sept. 30 Game 7 – Dallas vs. Tampa Bay* NBC 8 p.m.

* If Necessary

–NBC SPORTS–

NOTES AND QUOTES – STANLEY CUP FINAL GAME 3 ON NBCSN

By

Tampa Bay Lightning Defeat Dallas Stars 5-2 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

“Right out of a storybook…First game. First shot. First goal.” – Doc Emrick on Steven Stamkos

“(The Stars) weren’t able to capitalize when they had the momentum. When you have it, you’ve got to do something with it.” – Eddie Olczyk

Games 4 and 5 – Friday and Saturday Night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 23, 2020 – NBC Sports continued its exclusive presentation of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final tonight with Game 3 between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on NBCSN. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos returned from injury for his first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and scored in the first period, as Tampa Bay defeated Dallas 5-2 to take a 2-1 series lead. All Stanley Cup Final games are being played at Rogers Place.

Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, and Brian Boucher called the game along with Pierre McGuire providing reports and player interviews. Olczyk, Boucher and McGuire were on site at Rogers Place, while Emrick called the action from a home studio. Kathryn Tappen, Keith Jones, Anson Carter and Patrick Sharp provided studio commentary during intermissions from NBC Sports’ headquarters in Stamford, Conn. John Forslund also provided commentary from Rogers Place during pre-game coverage.

Following are notes and quotes from Game 3:

FIRST PERIOD

Emrick on Tampa Bay C Steven Stamkos’ goal, 2-0 Lightning: “My goodness, right out of a storybook.”

Boucher: “He was shot out of a cannon – the shot was a cannon as well.”

Emrick: “In their greatest dreams, Lightning fans could not have conceived this. Or maybe they could have (laughter).”

Emrick: “First game. First shot. First goal.”

Olczyk on C Jason Dickinson’s short-handed goal for Dallas, 2-1 Lightning: “Talking about another goaltender off of his angle here. Lots of room on the short side.”

Boucher: “I don’t know where (Andrei) Vasilevskiy was going. He didn’t locate (Jason) Dickinson. I think he was figuring that pass was going somewhere else, more to the middle of the ice. He was in the middle of the net. He was nowhere near his angle on that play.”

Boucher on RW Nikita Kucherov’s breakaway goal, 1-0 Lightning: “The turnover by the youngster, Miro Heiskanen – and he put it on the wrong guy’s tape…he loses his footing and when he does that, he puts it right on Kucherov’s tape.”

POST-GAME

Emrick: “Inspired by the return of their captain, they have taken a lead in the series, two games to one…they have talked during these playoffs about how (Steven) Stamkos had inspired them just by being in the dressing room in civilian clothes, and then how it was so much fun to see him on the ice in skates in practice. But now, on the ice in skates – though briefly – scoring a goal on his first shot.”

Sharp: “It was the depth of Tampa Bay in this one. They looked like a complete team with their captain back, all four lines contributed…tough team to beat right now.”

Jones: “What impresses me the most is the way they reacted when (Steven) Stamkos could no longer participate in the game. He obviously was a big factor in the first period, scored the goal, but that can deflate a team when a guy’s unavailable when the second period rolls around…their depth really came to the forefront and their star players were outstanding.”

THIRD PERIOD

Olczyk on importance of capitalizing on momentum: “(The Stars) weren’t able to capitalize when they had the momentum. When you have it, you’ve got to do something with it. You saw it in the second period when Tampa had all of the momentum and put a crooked number on the board.”

Boucher on Stamkos: “The excitement that he brought to his team and then after not playing, it’s about the leadership…only two minutes and 47 seconds played, but he’s had an effect on the Tampa Bay Lightning in a positive manner in this hockey game.”

Boucher on D Miro Heiskanen’s goal, 5-2 Lightning: “This puck bounced around on Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Dallas Stars were able to put it home…an unfortunate bounce for the Tampa Bay goaltender.”

SECOND INTERMISSION

Carter on Tampa Bay D Victor Hedman: “If the Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t have Victor Hedman on their team, I don’t know where they’d be. Yes, they’ve had guys elevate their game with no Steven Stamkos, but without No. 77, the Lightning would be in trouble.”

SECOND PERIOD

Olczyk on Tampa Bay D Victor Hedman’s power play goal, 3-1 Lightning: “That quick little wrister, cool number 10 (goals scored), he is in some rare air when it comes to playoff performances for defensemen scoring goals.”

Olczyk on Lightning C Brayden Point’s goal, 4-1 Lightning: “Just a terrible change here by the Dallas Stars…in the second period, you’ve got to make sure. The turnover and look at all of the players going off of the ice – it’s a 3-on-1.”

Boucher on Lightning LW Ondrej Palat’s goal, 5-1 Lightning: “A long shift for the Dallas defensemen. Out there for more than a minute and forty seconds. Not able to get the clear, several opportunities for Tampa Bay, they throw it to the net, doesn’t connect with (Ondrej) Palat on the back door, but then it goes back to Palat and you can see how tired (Esa) Lindell was, not able to recover…as the onslaught continues for Tampa Bay here in this second period.”

FIRST INTERMISSION

Jones on Stamkos: “It’s mind-boggling what great players are capable of doing…no rust on Stamkos, an outstanding start to this game for the Lightning captain…he does what Steven Stamkos does best, an outstanding goal.”

Carter on impact of Tampa Bay’s physical play: “Those hits eventually take their toll on the opposition…it forces the Dallas Stars defensemen to move the puck prematurely, before they’re ready to move the puck…(Miro Heiskanen) makes an uncharacteristic turnover. It’s all about the physical play and the hits that are paying off for the Tampa Bay Lightning.”

PRE-GAME

Boucher on the return of Stamkos: “You get an addition like this, it just gives you an emotional boost to have your captain in the lineup. You’ve got to make sure you don’t have a letdown because he’s put on his uniform.”

Olczyk on Dallas’ approach to facing Stamkos: “You want to welcome him to the Stanley Cup Final. You want to challenge him, you want to be in his face, you want to take away time and space because he is a world-class player. You want to make life really miserable for him.”

Jones on Tampa Bay: “Tampa has proven that they can take the hits and stay disciplined at the same time…but not just take the hits, but play aggressively as well.”

Jones on Dallas C Tyler Seguin: “He’s one of the leaders on the Dallas Stars…he’s got to be feeling the pressure of not scoring, but it hasn’t leaked into other parts of his game…if he scores, he’s going to score again. That’s one thing Tampa has to be careful of…that’s a big part of a series. When star players score, there’s usually a couple goals that follow shortly.”

Sharp on Dallas D Jamie Oleksiak: “I’ve seen this skill level from him from the day he entered the league. I got the chance to play with him…he always works on his skills after practice, he’s as talented as anyone on the roster, seems like he has confidence now, knows when to jump in the rush and it’s paying off big time for the Dallas Stars.”

Sharp on Dallas: “No team uses more hair product than the Dallas Stars. In pre-game warmups, Jamie Benn leads the way, but (Tyler) Seguin is never putting a helmet on.”

Carter on sacrifices players have made since returning to play: “It’s a big-time sacrifice. That’s why I said winning the championship this year is probably the hardest in NHL history because guys are away from their families for so long. I’m not playing in the NHL right now, but I’ve been away for two months. Thank goodness for FaceTime. Family is so important to hockey players.”

–NBC SPORTS–

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS LIVE BIG-EVENT SPORTS ALL WEEKEND LONG BEGINNING TODAY

By

Live-Event Weekend Coverage Features Sunday Night Football, U.S. Open Golf, NHL Stanley Cup Final, NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Notre Dame Football, Premier League Soccer and Tour de France Conclusion

Big Events to Air Across NBC, NBCSN, GOLF Channel, USA Network, Peacock and NBC Sports Digital Platforms

STAMFORD, Conn. – September 18, 2020 – NBC Sports will present an unprecedented weekend of live big-event sports over the next three days across numerous NBCUniversal properties – NBC, NBCSN, GOLF Channel, USA Network, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms.

From today through September 20, NBCUniversal properties will combine to present more than 125 live event coverage hours.

Among the highlights of NBC Sports’ live event coverage for this weekend:

    • Sunday Night Football: A star-studded QB matchup headlines this week’s edition of NBC’s Sunday Night Football as Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks (1-0) host Cam Newton and the New England Patriots (1-0). Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America on NBC, followed by kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET from CenturyLink Field.

 

    • U.S. Open: The U.S. Open returns home to NBC Sports. The USGA stages the 120th edition of the U.S. Open this week (thru Sunday) from Winged Foot Golf Club, and NBC Sports will present nearly 45 hours of live primary coverage of the championship exclusively across NBC, GOLF Channel, NBC Sports digital platforms, and Peacock, NBCUniversal’s new streaming service. Viewers tuning will recognize a familiar musical refrain previously synonymous with NBC Sports’ coverage of the U.S. Open, as Yanni’s In Celebration of Man will be incorporated throughout the championship.

 

    • NHL Stanley Cup Final: Game 1 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning will be presented tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC immediately following U.S. Open coverage from Winged Foot Golf Club.

 

    • NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs: NBC Sports presents the first elimination race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs tomorrow night in primetime at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN from iconic Bristol Motor Speedway, as the field of 16 narrows to 12 and drivers fight to keep their championship hopes alive. Tonight at 7 p.m. ET, Bristol also hosts the regular season finale for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which has 11 of its 12 Playoff spots decided entering the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”

 

    • Notre Dame Football: NBC Sports’ 30th season of Notre Dame Football continues tomorrow when the No. 7 Fighting Irish (1-0) host South Florida (1-0) at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., at 2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. Following last weekend’s victory over Duke, Notre Dame moved to No. 7 in the country. The Fighting Irish were led last week by QB Ian Book, who passed for 263 yards and one touchdown, and RB Kyren Williams, who totaled 205 yards from scrimmage (112 rushing, 93 receiving) and two rushing touchdowns.

 

    • Premier League: USMNT star Christian Pulisic – who’s hoping to return from injury – and Chelsea host 2019-20 champions Liverpool this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET exclusively on Peacock Premium, highlighting NBC Sports’ Premier League schedule this weekend.

 

    • Tour de France: NBC Sports’ live coverage of the 107th Tour de France concludes this weekend on NBCSN with Stage 21 starting at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday from Mantes-la-Jolie in France. Following yesterday’s Stage 18 victory by Poland’s Michał Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers), Slovenia’s Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) currently sits in first place and carries a 57-second lead over Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and a 1:27 lead over third-place Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana Pro Team) into this weekend’s final stages.

 

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream live coverage to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.

Following is the NBC Sports’ schedule for major sporting events this week (all times ET, subject to change):

Date Time (ET) Coverage Platform
Fri., Sept. 18 7:30 a.m. Tour de France: Stage 19: Bourg-en-Bresse / Champagnole NBCSN
Fri., Sept. 18 7:30 a.m. U.S. Open – Second Round Peacock
Fri., Sept. 18 9:30 a.m. U.S. Open – Second Round GOLF Channel
Fri., Sept. 18 4 p.m. U.S. Open – Second Round NBC
Fri., Sept. 18 6:30 p.m. NASCAR: Xfinity Series – Countdown to Green NBCSN
Fri., Sept. 18 7 p.m. NASCAR Xfinity Series Racing – Bristol NBCSN
Fri., Sept. 18 7 p.m. Golf Central Live From the U.S. Open GOLF Channel
Fri., Sept. 18 9 p.m. NASCAR: Xfinity Series Post-Race NBCSN
Sat., Sept. 19 6:30 a.m. Tour de France Pre-Race Show NBCSN
Sat., Sept. 19 7 a.m. Tour de France: Stage 20: Lure / La Planche des Belles Filles NBCSN
Sat., Sept. 19 7 a.m. Golf Central Live From the U.S. Open GOLF Channel
Sat., Sept. 19 9 a.m. U.S. Open – Third Round Peacock
Sat., Sept. 19 11 a.m. U.S. Open – Third Round NBC
Sat., Sept. 19 2:30 p.m. College Football: Notre Dame v. South Florida USA Network
Sat., Sept. 19 6:30 p.m. NASCAR America Pre-Race Show NBCSN
Sat., Sept. 19 7 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series – Countdown to Green NBCSN
Sat., Sept. 19 7:30 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series Racing – Bristol NBCSN
Sat., Sept. 19   7:30 p.m. NHL Stanley Cup Final – Game 1: Dallas vs. Tampa Bay NBC
Sat., Sept. 19 7:30 p.m. Golf Central Live From the U.S. Open GOLF Channel
Sat., Sept. 19 10:30 p.m. NASCAR America Post-Race Show NBCSN
Sun., Sept. 20 6 a.m. Golf Central Live From the U.S. Open GOLF Channel
Sun., Sept. 20 8 a.m. U.S. Open – Final Round Peacock
Sun., Sept. 20 9 a.m. Tour de France Pre-Race Show NBCSN
Sun., Sept. 20 9:30 a.m. Tour de France: Stage 21: Mantes-la-Jolie / Paris Champs-Élysées NBCSN
Sun., Sept. 20 10 a.m. U.S. Open – Final Round GOLF Channel
Sun., Sept. 20 11:30 a.m. Premier League: Chelsea v. Liverpool Peacock
Sun., Sept. 20 Noon U.S. Open – Final Round NBC
Sun., Sept. 20 1:30 p.m. Premier League Live Peacock
Sun., Sept. 20 6 p.m. Golf Central Live From the U.S. Open GOLF Channel
Sun., Sept. 20 7 p.m. Football Night in America NBC
Sun., Sept. 20 8:20 p.m. SNF: New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks NBC

 

–NBC SPORTS–

BLUES-BRUINS GAME 7 ON NBC IS MOST-WATCHED NHL GAME ON RECORD

By

Game 7 Averages Total Audience Delivery of Nearly 9 Million Viewers (8.914), Making It Most-Watched NHL Game On Record (Since 1994)

Viewership Peaked at 10.4 Million Viewers

Blues-Bruins Game 7 is Most-Streamed NHL Game Ever

2019 Stanley Cup Final is Most-Watched Final in Four Years & Up 11% vs. 2018

2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs Are Most-Watched Playoffs in 23 Years & Up 6% vs. Last Season

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 13, 2019 – Last night’s 2019 Stanley Cup Final Game 7, in which the St. Louis Blues defeated the Boston Bruins, 4-1, to capture their first-ever Stanley Cup, averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of nearly 9 million viewers (8.914), making it the most-watched NHL game on record and propelling the seven-game Stanley Cup Final and 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs to numerous viewership and streaming milestones, according to Fast National data from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

Following are consumption highlights for Game 7, the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, and the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

  • Game 7 averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of nearly 9 million viewers (8.914), making it the most-watched NHL game on record;
  • Blues-Bruins Game 7 is the most-streamed NHL game ever, delivering an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 191,500 viewers;
  • St. Louis delivered a 41.8 local rating for Game 7, NBC Sports’ highest-rated Blues game ever in the market;
  • The seven-game 2019 Stanley Cup Final averaged a TAD of 5.468 million, making it the most-watched Stanley Cup Final in four years and the third-most watched Final on record;
  • Overall, the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged a TAD of 1.530 million viewers, ranking as the most-watched Stanley Cup Playoffs in 23 years.

GAME 7

Despite a 4-0 score late in the third period and an eventual three-goal victory by the Blues, Game 7 (8-11 p.m. ET) averaged a TAD of 8.914 million viewers across NBC, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, making it the most-watched NHL game on record and up 4% vs. the previous Game 7 eight years earlier between the Bruins and Vancouver Canucks (June 5, 2011), which averaged a TV-only 8.537 million viewers on NBC. Digital streaming was not yet available at that time. Game 7 was also up 35% compared to viewership for Blues-Bruins Game 6 on Sunday night (6.610 million viewers).

The term “on record” refers to the current Nielsen measuring system, which began in 1994. Game 7 is believed to be the most-watched NHL game in 45+ years, when different measurement tools were used to record viewership, making it difficult to verify.

The TAD of 8.914 million does not include the numerous large-scale viewership parties in both cities, with some reporting attendance at those events in excess of 40,000.

 

Top 5 Most-Watched NHL Games On Record (Since 1994):

Rank Network Game Date Viewers (000)
1 NBC SCF Game 7: St. Louis/Boston 6/12/2019 8,914 (TAD)
2 NBC SCF Game 7: Boston/Vancouver 6/15/2011 8,537
3 NBC SCF Game 6: Chicago/Philadelphia (OT) 6/9/2010 8,279
4 NBC SCF Game 6: Chicago/Boston 6/24/2013 8,160
5 NBC SCF Game 6: Tampa Bay/Chicago 6/15/2015 8,064 (TAD)

 

TV ONLY/HH RATING: On TV only, Game 7 averaged 8.723 million viewers and a household rating of 4.90 on NBC. The 8.723 million viewers won the night for NBC among average viewers, A18-49 and A25-54, with Game 7 as the No. 1 show. It also delivered NBC with its most-watched Wednesday night since Feb. 20 (featuring Chicago Fire/Chicago PD event, 8.964 million).

PEAK: TV-only viewership for Game 7 peaked at 10.4 million viewers from 10:15-10:30 p.m. when the Blues extended their lead on the way to winning the first Stanley Cup in their history.

STREAMING: Blues-Bruins Game 7 is the most-streamed NHL game ever in all major categories, delivering an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 191,500 viewers, and totaling 34.5 million live minutes and 526,000 uniques.

LOCAL: St. Louis delivered a 41.8 local rating, NBC Sports’ highest-rated Blues game ever in the market, topping Game 6 by 27% (33.0). It is also NBC Sports’ third-highest rated local market rating for an NHL game ever, behind Boston’s 43.4 for Game 7 vs. Vancouver in 2011 and Pittsburgh’s 42.2 for Game 7 vs. Detroit in 2009.

The 41.8 rating in St. Louis exceeded the market’s rating for Super Bowl LIII (2019), which delivered a 39.8 rating for Rams-Patriots. The Rams played in St. Louis from 1995-2015. In addition to the 41.8 rating, St. Louis delivered a 60 share, meaning six in 10 households in the market that were watching television at the time were tuned into Game 7.

Boston delivered a 30.2 local rating (and 48 share), NBC Sports’ highest NHL rating in the market in six years (2013 CHI-BOS Cup-clinching Game 6, 33.0) and fourth overall (also behind 2011 VAN-BOS Games 6-7).

 

Top 10 Markets for Game 7:

Rank Market Rating
1 St. Louis 41.8
2 Boston 30.2
3 Providence 24.4
4 Buffalo 13.9
5 Kansas City 10.1
6 Ft. Myers 9.4
7 Pittsburgh 9.2
8 Hartford 8.4
9 Las Vegas 7.6
10 Denver 7.4

 

In addition, Game 7 powered 11 markets to register their highest or second-highest NHL rating ever for a game that did not include their home team:

  1. Buffalo 13.9:               #2 (behind 2006, Game 7, EDM-CAR, 17.9)
  2. Las Vegas 7.6:            #1
  3. Denver 7.4:                 #2 (2015, Game 6, TB/CHI, 7.6)
  4. Raleigh 6.3:                #1
  5. Chicago 6.2:               #2 (2011, Game 7, BOS-VAN, 6.4)
  6. Nashville 5.8:              #1
  7. Philadelphia 5.8:         #2 (2017, Game 6, PIT-NAS, 6.4)
  8. New York 5.1:              #1
  9. Phoenix 4.7:                #1
  10. Dallas 3.5:                   #1
  11. Miami 2.8:                   #2 (2018, Game 5, WSH-VGK, 2.9)

2019 STANLEY CUP FINAL

For the first seven-game Stanley Cup Final in eight years, Blues-Bruins averaged a TAD of 5.468 million viewers across NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, making it the most-watched Stanley Cup Final in four years (2015, CHI-TB, 5.600 million, 6 games), the third-most watched Final on record (behind 2015 and 2013, CHI-BOS, 5.753 million, 6 games), and up 11% vs. 2018’s five-game Final (WSH-VGK, 4.925 million). It is the most-watched non-Blackhawks Stanley Cup Final on record. For TV only, the 2019 Stanley Cup Final averaged 5.330 million viewers and a 3.01 household rating for five games on NBC and two games on NBCSN.

Blues-Bruins also delivered the most-streamed Stanley Cup Final ever, with an AMA of 137,800 viewers, 176.3 million live minutes, and 1.3 million uniques.

 

Top 10 Markets across the Stanley Cup Final on NBC/NBCSN:

Rank Market Rating
1 St. Louis 28.7
2 Boston 25.5
3 Providence 19.2
4 Buffalo 9.5
5 Kansas City 5.6
6 Pittsburgh 5.3
7 Hartford 5.2
8 Ft. Myers 4.5
9 Las Vegas 4.4
10 Denver 4.3

2019 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

On the strength of the Blues-Bruins historic seven-game Stanley Cup Final, 17 overtime games, compelling storylines, emerging teams, and exciting young stars, the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged a TAD of 1.530 million viewers for 86 games across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, USA Network, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app to rank as the most-watched Stanley Cup Playoffs in 23 years (1996, 1.564 million, ESPN/ESPN2/FOX, 61 games). Compared to 2018 (1.445 million), this year’s Playoffs are up 6%. The 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs averaged a TV-only 1.476 million viewers and a 0.87 HH rating.

NBC Sports Group’s cable coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs concluded by averaging Total Audience Delivery of 1.076 million viewers for 67 games across NBCSN, CNBC, USA Network, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, ranking as the best Stanley Cup Playoffs cable delivery in 22 years (1997, 1.121 million, ESPN/ESPN2), the fourth-best cable delivery on record, and up 2% vs. last year (1.053 million).

 

Top 10 Markets for 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs (86 games; NBC/NBCSN/USA/CNBC):

Rank Market Rating
1 St. Louis 5.2
2 Boston 4.9
3 Providence 3.9
4 Buffalo 3.4
t5 Pittsburgh 2.0
t5 Denver 2.0
7 Columbus, OH 1.9
t8 Raleigh 1.7
t8 Minn-St. Paul 1.7
10 Las Vegas 1.5

–NBC SPORTS–

STANLEY CUP FINAL GAME 7 – ST. LOUIS BLUES VS. BOSTON BRUINS TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBC

By

Pre-Game Coverage Begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Two-Hour Edition of NHL Live

Emrick to Call His Fifth-Career Stanley Cup Final Game 7

Bravo TV Host Andy Cohen & NBA Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley Expected to Join NBC Sports’ Game 7 Coverage

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 12, 2019 – NBC Sports’ comprehensive coverage of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs culminates with a dramatic winner-take-all Stanley Cup Final Game 7 tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, as Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins host Vladimir Tarasenko and the St. Louis Blues in the first Cup Final Game 7 in eight years. Pre-game coverage from Boston begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN with a special two-hour edition of NHL Live.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for all desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will provide streaming coverage of tonight’s pre-game coverage on NBCSN and Game 7 coverage on NBC.

Seven-time Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member and analyst Eddie Olczyk, and Emmy Award-winning ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call of tonight’s Game 7 from Boston’s TD Garden.

Tonight’s Game 7 edition of NHL Live will feature outdoor sets in Boston to capture the scene amongst the fans, as the city hopes to welcome its first Stanley Cup since 2011 and hosts a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 for the first time in the team’s 95-year history.

Mike Tirico will host tonight’s Game 7 coverage from TD Garden. Liam McHugh will anchor pre-game, intermission, and post-game coverage on-site, alongside analysts and former players Mike Milbury and Keith Jones. Kathryn Tappen will host pre-game and post-game coverage from outdoor sets in Boston, alongside analysts and former players Jeremy Roenick, Patrick Sharp, Brian Boucher, and Anson Carter. Tonight’s pre-game coverage will include a number of segments surrounding the series, including features on Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask and forward Brad Marchand, as well as Blues center Ryan O’Reilly.

Bravo TV host Andy Cohen will make an appearance during tonight’s coverage on NHL Live for a pre-game interview. NBA Hall-of-Famer and analyst Charles Barkley is expected to join the set during first intermission of Game 7 tonight on NBC.

Tonight marks Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick’s fifth career Stanley Cup Final Game 7 broadcast and his 45th Game 7 broadcast all-time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Following is a list of sports announcers who have called a number of Game 7s in the Final Round of the three major U.S. Sports that play best-of-7 series since 1970:

ANNOUNCER CHAMPIONSHIP(S) NUMBER YEARS
Joe Buck World Series 6 ’17, ’16, ’14, ’11, ’02, ‘01
Doc Emrick Stanley Cup Final 5 ’19, ‘11, ’09, ’06, ‘87
Curt Gowdy World Series 4 ’75, ’73, ’72, ‘71
Al Michaels World Series; NBA Finals 4 MLB: ’87, ’85, ‘72; NBA: ‘05
Gary Thorne Stanley Cup Final 4 ’04, 03, ’01, ‘94
Mike Breen NBA Finals 3 ’16, ’13, ‘10

 


GAME 7 – BLUES-BRUINS – TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBC

The Bruins forced tonight’s Game 7 with a 5-1 win in Game 6 in St. Louis on Sunday night. Tuukka Rask continued his dominant postseason performance, stopping 28 of 29 shots he faced to lead Boston to victory and avoid elimination. Brad Marchand scored on the power play in the first period to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead, Brandon Carlo scored the game-winner early in the third period, and captain Zdeno Chara capped Boston’s four-goal third period with an empty-netter. Blues center Ryan O’Reilly scored for the third straight game, and goalie Jordan Binnington made 27 saves in the effort for St. Louis.

This marks the 17th time in NHL history that the Stanley Cup Final will require a Game 7 and the first time since 2011, when Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron each scored twice as the Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 in Vancouver. The home team is 12-4 all-time in Stanley Cup Final Game 7s, but the road team has won each of the prior two Game 7s (Bruins, 2011; Penguins, 2009).

 

WESTWOOD ONE AND NBC SPORTS RADIO PRESENT LIVE AUDIO COVERAGE OF THE 2019 STANLEY CUP FINAL

In conjunction with NBC Sports and NBC Sports Radio, Westwood One again presents live play-by-play audio coverage of Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final featuring the St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins.

Kenny Albert (play-by-play) and Joe Micheletti (analyst) are calling their fourth straight Stanley Cup Final as Westwood One/NBC Sports Radio’s broadcast crew. Former NHL goaltender Brian Boucher joined the crew as rinkside reporter. Boucher has been doing double-duty throughout the series, serving as a pregame/postgame analyst for NBC Sports in addition to working rinkside for radio during the game. Florida Panthers announcer Steve Goldstein hosts the pregame, intermission, and postgame reports.

Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final will be available on NBC Sports Radio and Westwood One affiliates throughout the United States, as well as on NBCSportsRadio.com, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports Radio mobile app, WestwoodOneSports.com, the NHL app, SiriusXM Radio (NHL Channel 91), and TuneIn. NHL fans can also follow the playoffs on the NBC Sports Radio station on Apple Music. The stream can also be found on Amazon Alexa-enabled devices via the Westwood One Sports Skill.

COMPREHENSIVE BRUINS COVERAGE ON NBC SPORTS BOSTON

NBC Sports Boston will provide comprehensive local multi-platform coverage for the Boston Bruins during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. NBCSB will offer live post-game shows and analysis for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final for the Bruins. Michael Felger, along with former NHL player Tony Amonte and U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Olympic gold medalist Meghan Duggan will headline postgame coverage. NBCSB Bruins Insider Joe Haggerty will weigh in from on-site at the arena throughout the series. NBCSB’s daily programming, including Early Edition, Boston Sports Tonight, and simulcasts of The Sports Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand & Felger and Mazz shows will also provide in-depth coverage throughout the Final. The My Teams app will offer the postgame show streamed live as well as additional extensive Bruins coverage.


STREAMING COVERAGE ON NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are powered by Playmaker Media and available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.

–NBC SPORTS–