MSG Networks is putting both of its regional sports networks in play for coverage of the New York Rangers' opening NHL playoff round against the Philadelphia Flyers.
MSG and MSG+ will be home to simulcasts of contest presentations, which face off on April 17, as well as all pre-game and post-game coverage. The RSNs will serve up the exclusive local telecasts of five of the seven games in the Rangers-Flyers series, with NBC scheduled to broadcast the other two nationally (see schedule below).
Coverage of the confrontation between the NHL residents of Broadway and Broad Street begins Thursday at 6 p.m. with the Visa Rangers Game Night pregame show. The first 30 minutes of the show will include live updates and interviews from the Rangerstown Hockey House presented by Chase, located on the corner of 33rd Street and 7th Avenue, outside of Madison Square Garden.
MSG Networks’ Rangers playoff coverage will feature play-by-play announcer Sam Rosen with analyst Joe Micheletti calling the game action. The studio crew for pregame and postgame coverage will include former Rangers Ron Duguay and Dave Maloney along with E.J. Hradek, Al Trautwig, Bill Pidto and John Giannone.
The Game 1 puck drops on MSG and MSG+ at 7 p.m. and will be immediately followed by the Mercedes-Benz Postgame Show and Geico Rangers Extra presented by Cadillac.
MSGN, which also televises the NHL's New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres, all of which failed to qualify for the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, will also keep those cabbing around the Big Apple in the Rangers' mode throughout their series against the Flyers, with recaps and previews. Appearing in over 7,500 yellow cabs, each 45- to 60-second segment, which will be updated after every game, feature Trautwig, Pidto and Duguay as they assess the most recent action and look ahead to the next contest.
2014 MSG NETWORKS RANGERS PLAYOFF TELECAST SCHEDULE (*if necessary)
GameDateOpponentTimeNetworksPre / Post (on MSGN)
Game 1 Thu, Apr 17 Flyers 7:00 p.m. MSG/MSG+ 6:00 p.m. / 9:30 p.m.
Game 2 Sun, Apr 20 Flyers Noon NBC -- -- -- -- / 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 Tues, Apr 22 @ Flyers 8:00 p.m. MSG/MSG+ 7:00 p.m. / 10:30 p.m.
Game 4 Fri, Apr 25 @ Flyers 7:00 p.m. MSG/MSG+ 6:00 p.m. / 9:30 p.m.
*Game 5 Sun, Apr 27 Flyers Noon NBC -- -- -- -- / 2:30 p.m.
*Game 6 Tue, Apr 29 @ Flyers TBD MSG/MSG+ TBD / TBD
*Game 7 Wed, Apr 30 Flyers TBD MSG/MSG+ TBD / TBD
