Bruins Elbow Ratings Record From Behind For Showdown With Pens

From Boston Sports Media Watch:

The TV ratings are  an indication of how anticipated last night’s Bruins game was among fans.

The game garnered a 6.2 household rating, which is the highest rated regular season game in NESN’s history, as fans tuned in to see whether the team would retaliate against Matt Cooke and the Pittsburgh Penguins for the hit that left Marc Savard with a concussion that likely ended his season.

Fans ended up the evening disappointed, as the Bruins suffered a 3-0 loss at the hands of the Stanley Cup Champions.

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NHL To Debut Playoff Ad Campaign This Weekend

NEW YORK (March 19, 2010) – The National Hockey League (NHL) will unveil its new Stanley Cup Playoffs campaign tomorrow, March 20 during the CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada. The campaign reminds viewers that “History will be made” during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Focusing on the iconic moments in Stanley Cup Playoffs history that every fan remembers, the campaign begs the question; “if it wasn’t for these iconic moments, what would we remember?”  This question is tailored to six historic moments: Bobby Orr taking flight after his infamous Stanley Cup winning goal in 1970, Mark Messier delivering on his “guarantee” and lifting the Stanley Cup in 1994, Mario Lemieux’s famous defensemen-splitting goal in 1991, Ray Bourque capturing the elusive championship in his final NHL game in 2001, Patrick Roy’s veteran-like performance during his 1986 rookie year, and Steve Yzerman’s famous double-overtime goal against St. Louis in 1996.

“These are the moments from our game that have gone down in history as some of the most iconic in sports,” said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of Marketing, NHL.  “It’s that image of a flying Bobby Orr frozen in mid-air, when Bourque’s 22-year journey finally ends with a championship, when Messier went from being a captain to ‘The Captain.’  The Stanley Cup Playoffs are where history is made, and this year will be no different.”

The “History Will Be Made” campaign will run across all of the NHL’s national and local broadcast partners, NHL Network, NHL.com, in-arena, and through digital and social media networking websites to promote the Stanley Cup Playoffs (commencing April 14).

NHL Network Free Preview Week Highlights

New York, NY (March 19, 2010) – NHL Network U.S. will broadcast the Phoenix Coyotes vs. Chicago Blackhawks match-up Saturday, March 20 immediately following the conclusion of the Network’s Hockey Night In Canada telecast of the Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET). Both telecasts are available in HD.

The puck will drop in front of a sold-out crowd in Phoenix’s Jobing.com Arena at 9 p.m. ET, as the red-hot Coyotes take aim at the Blackhawks and first overall in the NHL’s Western Conference.

This game is among the highlights of NHL Network’s free preview week in the U.S., running March 20-27. With participating networks of the free preview including Comcast, DIRECTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable, Cox and RCN Cable, NHL Network will be available in 60 million homes across the country. Fans are encouraged to check their local listings for details. This free preview is subject to participation cable or satellite providers.

The Chicago Blackhawks are four points away from posting their first consecutive 100-point seasons since 1970-1972. They are currently tied for the most points in the Western Conference, and currently lead the Central Division by 11 points, while closing in on the franchise’s first division title since winning the 1993 Norris Division.

The Phoenix Coyotes defeated the Florida Panthers 4-3 in a shootout on Thursday night to win their 44th game of the season, marking the highest single-season win total in franchise history. The previous franchise record for wins in a season was 43, set when the franchise played as the Winnipeg Jets in 1984-85. Through 71 games this season, the Coyotes have compiled a record of 44-22-5 and are currently on a seven-game winning streak.

U.S. NHL Network Schedule – Highlights For Free Preview Week (March 22-27) SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Monday, March 22 The Battle of Comm Ave., 6 p.m.

Tuesday, March 23 HD Classic: Sid and Alex’s Dueling Hat Tricks, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 24 Penguins-Capitals Pregame Show, 6 p.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals (HD), 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 25 Off the Ice: Crosby, Ovechkin, Tavares, 6:30 p.m.

Dallas Stars at San Jose Sharks (HD), 10:30 p.m.

Friday, March 26 50 Years Behind the Mask

Saturday, March 27 Hockey Night in Canada: New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens (HD), 7 p.m.

NHL Net to air Chicago-Phoenix Tomorrow Night

The NHL Network U.S. will broadcast Saturday’s Chicago at Phoenix game, joining in progress immediately following the conclusion of Montreal at Toronto. Both telecasts are available in HD.

The Blackhawks (45-19-6) and Coyotes (44-22-5) are in a battle for first overall in the Western Conference with San Jose and Vancouver. The four teams are currently separated by three points. In the race for the Pacific Division title, Phoenix is three points behind San Jose.

Phoenix Coyotes President and Chief Operating Officer Douglas Moss announced Thursday that the game against Chicago at Jobing.com Arena is sold out. In addition, the arena doors will open at 4:30 p.m. local time, thirty minutes earlier than normal, to accommodate the fans. The game begins at 6 p.m.

Phoenix, which set a franchise record with its 44th win of the season on Thursday, is attempting to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2001-02.

This game is among the highlights of NHL Network’s free preview week in the U.S., running March 20-27. With participating networks of the free preview including Comcast, DIRECTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable, Cox and RCN Cable, NHL Network will be available in 60 million homes across the country. Fans are encouraged to check their local listings for details. This free preview is subject to participation cable or satellite providers.

Your College Hockey Schedule For the Weekend

HNIC Open Thread in a little bit, but here are the games you can check out on TV for the weekend.  Cheers to Nate Ewell for the tip:

Fri. March 19

WCHA Final Five: St. Cloud State vs. Wisconsin

FSN North

3 p.m.

ECAC Hockey Tournament: Brown vs. Cornell

NHL Network

4 p.m.

CCHA Tournament: Northern Michigan vs. Ferris State FSN Detroit

4:30 p.m.

Hockey East Tournament: Vermont vs. Boston College NESN

5 p.m.

ECAC Hockey Tournament: St. Lawrence vs. Union

NHL Network

7 p.m.

Hockey East Tournament: Boston University vs. Maine

NESN

8 p.m.

CCHA Tournament: Michigan vs. Miami

Big Ten Network

8 p.m.

WCHA Final Five: Play-in Winner vs. Denver

FSN North

8 p.m.

Sat. March 20

WCHA Final Five: Third-Place Game

FSN North

3 p.m.

Hockey East Tournament: Championship NESN 7 p.m.

CCHA Tournament: Championship FSN Detroit

7 p.m.

WCHA Final Five: Championship

FSN North

8 p.m.

Sun. March 21

ECAC Hockey Tournament: Championship (tape delay) NHL Network

11 a.m.

NCAA Tournament Selection Show ESPN2

11:30 a.m.

Pens-Caps Pregame Highlights NHL Network Featured Schedule Next Week

Monday, Mar. 22
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
7:00 A Day That Changed the Game: November 1, 1959
8:00 NHL On the Fly

Tuesday, Mar. 23
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
8:00 NHL On the Fly

Wednesday, Mar. 24
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
6:00 NHL On the Fly: Pens-Caps Pre-Game Show
7:00 LIVE: Penguins vs. Capitals
9:30 NHL On the Fly

Thursday, Mar. 25
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
8:00 NHL On the Fly
10:30 LIVE: Dallas vs. San Jose
1:00 NHL On the Fly

Friday, Mar. 26
12:00 NHL Live
4:00 NHL Power Play
8:00 NHL On the Fly

Saturday, Mar. 27
6:30 HNIC Pre-Game
7:00 LIVE: Devils vs. Canadiens
9:30 HNIC Post-Game
10:00 NHL On the Fly

Sunday, Mar. 28
4:00 AHL: Texas vs. Chicago
8:00 NHL On the Fly

ESPN Ready to Cover the NCAA Tourney, Not As Well As Last Year

Last season, there was a few games on ESPNU and ESPN Classic.  This year, it’s all ESPNU and ESPN360.com.  Bucci and Barry will call a regional, Thorne and Melrose have the Frozen Four, as it’s been for the past few years.  Here are all the details for the one time of the year ESPN pretends to care:

Head Coaches Enrico Blasi (Miami of Ohio), George Gwozdecky (Denver) Join Sunday’s NCAA Hockey Selection Show on ESPN2 HD

ESPNU, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN360.com will combine to present all 15 games live from the 2010 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship, Friday, March 26-Saturday, April 10. ESPNU will telecast eight regional games exclusively, while ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, will supplement the coverage by offering seven games live, including the Frozen Four. Select regional games on ESPN360.com may also be available via local syndication.

The Frozen Four, live from Ford Field in Detroit, will be presented in high definition on ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD, as well as ESPN360.com.

Coverage of the tournament begins with the NCAA Hockey Selection Show on Sunday, March 21, at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2 HD. John Buccigross will host the show with analysts Barry Melrose and former University of Michigan hockey standout Sean Ritchlin.

Joining the show will be Miami (Ohio) head coach Enrico Blasi, whose team has dedicated this season to the late Brendan Burke, the former team manager who was killed in a car accident in February and also was openly gay and considered a pioneer in young athletes coming out; and Denver head coach George Gwozdecky, Blasi’s former college coach at Miami and the only coach in NCAA history to win a national title in ice hockey as a player/assistant coach and head coach. Buccigross recently received the GLAAD award for Outstanding Digital Journalism Article for his piece on Brendan Burke.

ESPNU will present two regional rounds entirely in high definition Friday, March 26, through Sunday, March 28. Also, on Friday, April 9, at 7 p.m., ESPNU HD will feature the Hobey Baker Award presentation live from Ford Field. The award honors college ice hockey’s top men’s player. The presentation will be hosted by ESPN’s Clay Matvick and Barry Melrose.

ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and ESPN360.com will showcase the Frozen Four live from Detroit, with the first national semifinal Thursday, April 8, at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 HD and ESPN360.com and the second national semifinal at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2 HD, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile. The national championship will air Saturday, April 10, at 7 p.m. on ESPN HD, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile.

Frozen Four telecasts will feature Gary Thorne (play-by-play), Barry Melrose (analyst), Clay Matvick (ice-level reporter) calling all the action from Detroit. At regional semifinals and finals, commentators include play-by-play announcer John Buccigross and analyst Barry Melrose (NHL) at the East Regional in Albany, N.Y.; Matvick and Jim Paradise (Colorado College) at the West Regional in Saint Paul, Minn.; Dan Parkhurst and Damian DiGiulian (Hamilton College) at the Northeast Regional in Worcester, Mass.; and Ben Holden and Ritchlin (Michigan) at the Midwest Regional in Fort Wayne, Ind. Also during coverage of the regional rounds, the ESPNU studio will be anchored by Lowell Galindo and Bob Norton (Rutgers).

NCAA Div. I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Event	Network
Sun, Mar 21	11:30 a.m.	NCAA Selection Show	ESPN2 HD

Date	Time		Event	Network
Fri, Mar 26	3 p.m.		East Regional Semifinal #1 – Albany	ESPNU HD
	5:30 p.m.	West Regional Semifinal #1 – Saint Paul		ESPN360.com – Live / ESPNU HD – Tape delay, 11:30 p.m.
	6:30 p.m.	East Regional Semifinal #2 – Albany		ESPNU HD
	9 p.m.	West Regional Semifinal #2 – Saint Paul		ESPNU HD
Sat, Mar 27	1:30 p.m.	Northeast Regional Semifinal #1 –  Worcester		ESPN360.com – Live / ESPNU – Tape delay, Sun., 9:30 a.m.
	4 p.m.	Midwest Regional Semifinal #1 – Fort Wayne		ESPNU HD
	5 p.m.	Northeast Regional Semifinal #2 – Worcester		ESPN360.com – Live / ESPNU – Tape delay, Sun., noon
	6:30 p.m.	East Final – Albany		ESPNU HD
	7:30 p.m.	Midwest Regional Semifinal #2 – Fort Wayne		ESPN360.com – Live / ESPNU – Tape delay, 11:30 p.m.
	9 p.m.	West Final – Saint Paul		ESPNU HD
Sun, Mar 28	5:30 p.m.	Northeast Final – Worcester		ESPNU
	8 p.m.	Midwest Final – Fort Wayne		ESPNU

Frozen Four, Ford Field, Detroit

Date	Time (ET)	Event	Network
Thu, Apr 8	5 p.m.	National Semifinal #1	ESPN2 HD / ESPN360.com
	8:30 p.m.	National Semifinal #2	ESPN2 HD / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile
Fri, Apr 9	7 p.m.	Hobey Baker Award	ESPNU HD
Sat, Apr 10	7 p.m.	National Championship	ESPN HD / ESPN360.com / ESPN Mobile