Pre-Game Coverage Starts at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Two-Hour Edition of NHL Live
Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk and Pierre McGuire to Call 12th Consecutive Stanley Cup Final as Broadcast Team
Pre-Game Interviews Include Olczyk with Vegas Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury & Mike Tirico with Capitals’ Captain Alex Ovechkin
Wayne Gretzky to Appear in Hulu Opener During Game 1 Coverage
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 28, 2018 – NBC Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final begins tonight with Game 1 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, as Marc-Andre Fleury and the expansion Vegas Golden Knights host Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals as both teams continue their quest to capture their first-ever Stanley Cup. Pre-game coverage from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., 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 desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will provide streaming coverage of all 2018 Stanley Cup Final games.
Six-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 from T-Mobile Arena.
Host Liam McHugh will anchor pre-game, intermission and post-game coverage on-site, alongside analysts and former players Mike Milbury and Keith Jones. In addition, Kathryn Tappen and Paul Burmeister will host pre-game and post-game coverage from outside sets in Las Vegas, capturing the scene amongst the fans alongside analysts and former players Jeremy Roenick, Brian Boucher, and Anson Carter. Mike Tirico will host Game 1 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
As part of tonight’s two-hour pre-game show on NBCSN, Olczyk will go “Inside the Crease” with Fleury for an on-ice interview at T-Mobile Arena. Olczyk was Fleury’s first NHL head coach in Pittsburgh in 2003. Fleury discusses the Golden Knights’ improbable inaugural season, as well as his transition back to a No. 1 role after splitting time with and serving as a backup behind Matt Murray in Pittsburgh.
In addition, Tirico will speak with Ovechkin about what it means to finally reach the Stanley Cup Final, and what’s made this year’s team different from past Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals squads that had higher expectations.
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STANLEY CUP FINAL GAME 1 – GOLDEN KNIGHTS-CAPITALS – TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBC
Washington advanced to its first Stanley Cup Final in 20 years following a 4-0 win against Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final. Alex Ovechkin netted the eventual game-winner just 1:02 into the game, Andre Burakovsky scored his first two goals of the postseason, and Braden Holtby made 29 saves to record his second consecutive shutout. This marks the Capitals’ second Stanley Cup Final berth overall and the first during the Ovechkin era. The 13-year veteran is tied for the 10th-most postseason games played prior to making an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. The Capitals were swept by the Detroit Red Wings in their only prior Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1998.
With a series-clinching win against the Winnipeg Jets in Game 5 on Sunday, the Golden Knights advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. Vegas is led by Fleury, who recorded his 74th career postseason victory in Game 5, and Jonathan Marchessault, who leads the team in both goals (eight) and points (18) this postseason.
Vegas defeated Washington in both meetings during the regular season, including a narrow 4-3 victory over the Capitals on Feb. 4 in Capital One Arena. Fleury combined for 46 saves on 49 shots in the two contests and recorded one shutout.
Following is the full telecast schedule for the 2018 Stanley Cup Final with networks and start times. Pre-game coverage will begin each night with NHL Live at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
| Date | Coverage | Network | Time (ET) |
| Mon., May 28 | Game 1 – Washington at Vegas | NBC | 8 p.m. |
| Wed., May 30 | Game 2 – Washington at Vegas | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
| Sat., June 2 | Game 3 – Vegas at Washington | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
| Mon., June 4 | Game 4 – Vegas at Washington | NBC | 8 p.m. |
| Thur., June 7 | Game 5 – Washington at Vegas* | NBC | 8 p.m. |
| Sun., June 10 | Game 6 – Vegas at Washington* | NBC | 8 p.m. |
| Wed., June 13 | Game 7 – Washington at Vegas* | NBC | 8 p.m. |
*if necessary
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WAYNE GRETZKY TO OPEN GAME 1 ON NBC
Wayne Gretzky – The Great One – will star in the Hulu opening tease that will begin NBC Sports’ coverage of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Washington Capitals and the expansion Vegas Golden Knights tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
In the 15-second spot, Gretzky – the leading scorer in NHL history and winner of four Stanley Cups – skillfully uses a hockey stick to procure his remote control, allowing him to easily access all the Stanley Cup Final content available on Hulu from the comfort of his home. The spot will be used throughout the Stanley Cup Final.
Prior to the playoffs, Hulu, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL®) announced a new partnership in which Hulu became an official sponsor of the NHLPA and the NHL for the entirety of the 2018 Stanley Cup® Playoffs and Final.
The partnership features a national marketing campaign for Hulu across all League touchpoints including NBC Sports, the NHL’s digital and social channels, as well as camera-visible, in-stadium inventory within all U.S. venues.
The collaboration also includes integration within all NBC Sports broadcasts with on-air presenting sponsorship of NBC Sports’ NHL Live pre-game show for the Stanley Cup® Playoffs as well as integration within the broadcast opening.
Hulu is a leading premium streaming service that offers instant access to live and on demand channels, original series and films, and a premium library of TV and movies to more than 17 million subscribers in the U.S.
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NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all Stanley Cup Playoff games to desktops, tablets, and connected TVs. The NBC Sports app will stream coverage 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. Powered by Playmaker Media, the NBC Sports app is available on Apple iOS, Android and select Samsung devices, as well as on Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Win10, and Xbox.
--NBC SPORTS--
