NBC Hypes Hawks-Wings on Sunday

NEW YORK – Mar. 2, 2010 – On Sunday, February 28, Olympic stars Patrick Kane of the USA and Jonathan Toews of Canada were opponents when Canada defeated the USA, 3-2, in overtime to win the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. This Sunday, Mar. 7, Kane and Toews are reunited as teammates on the Chicago Blackhawks, who host the Detroit Red Wings, including Team USA’s Brian Rafalski and Canada’s gold medal winning head coach Mike Babcock, at United Center at 12:30 pm ET on NBC Sports.

Mike “Doc” Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire (inside-the-glass reporter) call the action. McGuire will pull double duty, hosting NBC’s studio show alongside analyst Mike Milbury on site at United Center.

EMRICK: “Detroit has been Chicago’s nemesis. The Blackhawks have challenged the Red Wings but have never been able to overtake them. But this year, Chicago leads the Central. The United Center will be filled with 20,000-plus fans screaming their lungs out. It will be raucous.”

With 87 points, Chicago is in first in the Central and second in the Western Conference. Detroit, the two-time defending Western Conference champions who have suffered through a string of injuries, are third in the Central with 70 points, good for eighth in the conference. No two NHL teams have played more regular-season games against each other than Chicago and Detroit.

EMRICK: “Detroit is starting to get healthy and you wouldn’t want to run into them in the first round. They will be one of the foremost interesting teams to watch down the homestretch.”

CLOSE GAMES: All five of NBC Sports’ NHL games this season have been decided by one goal and four needed extra time to determine a winner. Prior to the Olympics on Feb. 7, the Capitals defeated the Penguins, 5-4, in overtime on Mike Knuble’s goal. In the game, Sidney Crosby scored twice for Pittsburgh and Alexander Ovechkin registered a hat trick for Washington.

The week prior, on Jan. 31, the Penguins were on the winning end when they defeated the Red Wings in a Stanley Cup Final rematch, 2-1, via an overtime shootout. On Jan. 24, the Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 2-1, on a power-play goal by Matt Cooke with 1:47 remaining. In NBC’s inaugural “Game of the Week” on Jan. 17, the Chicago Blackhawks needed a shootout to beat the Red Wings, 4-3, in Detroit. The Boston Bruins needed overtime to defeat the Flyers, 2-1, at Fenway Park on New Year’s Day in the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.

NBCSPORTS.COM: NBCSports.com will again offer “Star-cam” this season, tracking a player from both teams throughout each of their shifts. Following the game, NBCSports.com will present bonus material, including “Star-cam” and “Net-cam” and bonus analysis from NBC Sports commentators.

FLEX SCHEDULING & CONSISTENT 12:30 PM ET START TIME: Again this year, “Game of the Week” broadcasts will consistently start at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sundays (except for Feb. 7 and Apr. 11, Noon ET start times). For the third straight season, the NHL and NBC Sports will utilize flex scheduling and will be able to select from up to four games on Sunday afternoons. At least 13 days prior to the scheduled games, the NHL and NBC Sports will announce one of those games as the “Game of the Week” to be broadcast during the NBC Sports window. The other games will remain available to the teams’ regional carrier but will not be televised during NBC Sports’ broadcast window.

2010 NHL GAME OF THE WEEK REGULAR-SEASON FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
(All Games Announced At Least 13 Days Prior)

Sunday, Mar. 14, 12:30 p.m. ET
Washington @ Chicago (Flexed)

Sunday, Mar. 21, 12:30 p.m. ET
New York Rangers @ Boston
Buffalo @ Carolina

Sunday, Apr. 4, 12:30 p.m. ET
Detroit @ Philadelphia

Sunday, Apr. 11, 12:00 p.m. ET
Boston @ Washington
New York Rangers @ Philadelphia
Detroit @ Chicago

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