NBC Sports’ Coverage of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs Begins Saturday Night on NBC

NBC Sports has announced its comprehensive coverage schedule for the start of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin this Saturday night in primetime on NBC immediately following The 146th Preakness Stakes, when Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals host Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins. This will be the 16th consecutive season that NBC Sports has presented the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and once again all games will be shown nationally.

Coverage continues Sunday with a Game 1 doubleheader on NBC beginning at noon ET, when Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins host Mathew Barzal and the New York Islanders.

The second half of Sunday’s doubleheader on NBC will feature the Minnesota Wild against either the Colorado Avalanche or the Vegas Golden Knights at 3PM ET, depending on the outcome of tonight’s Avalanche-Kings game.

The East, Central, and North Division seeding and matchups have all been determined, and networks and times are confirmed through Saturday, May 22. The top two seeds for the West Division will be determined tonight, but networks and times for the West Division series are finalized.

NBC Sports will feature roughly 20 game and studio commentators throughout the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. NHL Live will feature hosts Liam McHugh and Kathryn Tappen and analysts Eddie Olczyk, Keith Jones, Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp, Dominic Moore, and Mike Babcock.

NBC Sports’ game commentary teams will include play-by-play announcers Kenny Albert, John Forslund, Brendan Burke, Alex Faust, and John Walton, and analysts Eddie Olczyk, Keith Jones, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire, AJ Mleczko, Joe Micheletti, and Dominic Moore.

Overall, coverage will be presented on NBC, NBCSN, and NHL Network, as well as first- and second-round coverage on NBCUniversal’s USA Network and CNBC. NBC Sports’ coverage of Stanley Cup Playoff first-round games on NBCUniversal cable networks (NBCSN, USA Network, and CNBC), as well as NHL Network, will air side-by-side with regional sports networks and will be available for streaming on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app in local markets alongside regional sports network game telecasts. All games on NBC are exclusive.

Following is NBC Sports’ coverage schedule of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs through Saturday, May 22.

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)

Saturdsay, May 15
Game 1 – (3) Boston at (2) Washington NBC 7:15PM

Sunday, May 16
Game 1 – (4) N.Y. Islanders at (1) Pittsburgh NBC 12PM
Game 1 – (4) Minnesota at (1) Vegas/Colorado NBC 3PM
Game 1 – (3) Tampa Bay at (2) Florida NBCSN 7:30PM

Monday, May 17
Game 2 – (3) Boston at (2) Washington NBCSN 7:30PM
Game 1 – (4) Nashville at (1) Carolina CNBC 8PM
Game 1 – (3) St. Louis at (2) Vegas/Colorado USA Network 10PM

Tuesday, May 18
Game 2 – (4) N.Y. Islanders at (1) Pittsburgh NBCSN 7:30PM
Game 2 – (3) Tampa Bay at (2) Florida CNBC 8PM
Game 2 – (4) Minnesota at (1) Vegas/Colorado NBCSN 10PM

Wednesday, May 19
Game 3 – (2) Washington at (3) Boston NBCSN 6:30PM
Game 2 – (4) Nashville at (1) Carolina CNBC 8PM
Game 1 – (3) Winnipeg at (2) Edmonton NBCSN 9PM
Game 2 – (3) St. Louis at (2) Vegas/Colorado CNBC 10:30PM

Thursday, May 20
Game 3 – (2) Florida at (3) Tampa Bay USA Network 6:30PM
Game 3 – (1) Pittsburgh at (4) N.Y. Islanders NBCSN 7PM
Game 1 – (4) Montreal at (1) Toronto* NHL Network 7:30PM
Game 3 – (1) Vegas/Colorado at (4) Minnesota NBCSN 9:30PM

Friday, May 21
Game 4 – (2) Washington at (3) Boston NBCSN 6:30PM
Game 3 – (1) Carolina at (4) Nashville USA Network 7PM
Game 2 – (3) Winnipeg at (2) Edmonton NBCSN 9PM
Game 3 – (2) Vegas/Colorado at (3) St. Louis USA Network 9:30PM

Saturday, May 22
Game 4 – (2) Florida at (3) Tampa Bay CNBC 12:30PM
Game 4 – (1) Pittsburgh at (4) N.Y. Islanders NBC 3PM
Game 2 – (4) Montreal at (1) Toronto CNBC 7PM
Game 4 – (1) Vegas/Colorado at (4) Minnesota NBC 8PM