NBC Sports Group’s 2012-2013 NHL Regular-Season Television Schedule Features Over 100 Games On NBC & NBC Sports Network

NBC Sports Network Nationally Exclusive Wednesday Night Game Will Feature Some of the NHL’s Biggest Rivalries

NBC Sports Network again hosts All-Star Weekend

Hockey Day in America Expanded to Triple-Header with Doubleheader on NBC Followed by Evening Game on NBC Sports Network

NBC highlights include second annual Thanksgiving Friday game; NHL Winter Classic from Michigan Stadium; and weekly “Game of the Week” broadcasts beginning Jan. 20

Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings Scheduled for Nine Exclusive Appearances; New York Rangers Scheduled for 11; Pittsburgh Penguins 11; Buffalo Sabres 12; Detroit Red Wings 11; Philadelphia Flyers 11 and St. Louis Blues 12

NEW YORK (August 30, 2012) — The NBC Sports Group today announced its coverage plans for the 2012-13 NHL regular season, which include the following highlights:

• More than 100 regular-season games on NBC and NBC Sports Network;
• Wednesday night exclusive coverage featuring some of the league’s biggest rivalries;
• The first ever Hockey Day in America tripleheader, including an evening game on NBC Sports Network between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers;
• The second annual Thanksgiving Friday game, the 2012 Discover NHL Thanksgiving Showdown™, on NBC featuring the New York Rangers at the Boston Bruins;
• The 2013 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on NBC featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Detroit Red Wings from at Michigan Stadium at the University of Michigan, which has a capacity of more than 109,000.
• NBC and the NBC Sports Network will combine to present nine games of the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, the most ever for the team on NBC Sports platforms.

OPENING NIGHTS: The season begins with a doubleheader on Thursday, October 11, when the Philadelphia Flyers host the Boston Bruins at 7 p.m. ET, immediately followed by the Colorado Avalanche at home against the St. Louis Blues at 10 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.

The newly crowned 2012 Stanley Cup Champion L.A. Kings will open their season with a banner raising live on Friday, October 12 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network prior to their game against the N.Y. Rangers at 10:30 p.m. ET. During the regular season, NBC and NBC Sports Network will air several exclusive games from the NHL teams, including nine featuring the LA Kings, the most ever for the team on NBC Sports platforms, 12 Boston Bruins games and 11 games from the NY Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins.

EXCLUSIVE NIGHTS: NBC Sports Network’s exclusive Wednesday night coverage will now feature the biggest rivalries in the NHL. The network will include a live pre- and post-game show before/after every telecast and will continue with NHL Live and NHL Overtime. The network will air exclusive coverage Wednesday nights, and then in January, add a second exclusive night on Sundays, giving NHL fans four straight nights of hockey action.

WEDNESDAY RIVALRIES: NBC Sports Network’s nationally exclusive Wednesday night window will feature some of the NHL’s top rivalries throughout the season. They include:

THANKSGIVING: For the second consecutive year, NBC commences its broadcast coverage with a special match-up on Friday, November 23, at 1 p.m. ET, the day after Thanksgiving. The Boston Bruins, who have a Thanksgiving Friday tradition and hosted last year’s inaugural game on NBC, will host the N.Y. Rangers live from the TD Bank Garden in Boston.

NBC’s “GAME OF THE WEEK”: NBC will continue its national “Game of the Week” coverage on Sundays, debuting on January 20 with a battle between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Chicago Blackhawks from United Center in Chicago.

HOCKEY DAY IN AMERICA: “Hockey Day in America” will celebrate America’s passion for hockey live from New York on Sunday, February 17, featuring nine hours of coverage and eight teams from some of the most avid U.S. hockey markets. The NBC Sports Group will broadcast three NHL games with the first two broadcasts, Detroit at Minnesota and Pittsburgh at Buffalo, airing regionally with staggered starts, followed by national coverage of Boston at Chicago at 3 p.m. ET. The final game that day will be between the Philadelphia Flyers and the N.Y. Rangers at 6 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.

ALL-STAR WEEKEND: NBC Sports Network will televise NHL All-Star weekend live from Columbus, Ohio on Jan. 26-27, 2013. Coverage includes the NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft, NHL Skills Competition and the NHL All-Star Game.

NHL WINTER CLASSIC: The Detroit Red Wings will compete against longtime rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic from Michigan Stadium on the University of Michigan campus on New Year’s Day, 2013 at 1 p.m. ET. The Maple Leafs will be the first Canadian team to participate in a Winter Classic. Michigan Stadium, also known as ‘The Big House,’ has a capacity for football of more than 109,000.

NBC 2012-13 NHL regular-season schedule (all times ET, subject to change):

NBC Sports Network 2012-13 NHL regular-season schedule (all times ET, subject to change):

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–