POSTED: Friday January 22nd 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALEX OVECHKIN AND THE CAPITALS VS. SIDNEY CROSBY AND THE PENGUINS FLEXED AS NBC SPORTS' FEB. 7 GAME OF THE WEEK

Next Three “Game of the Week” Telecasts Set

NEW YORK (January 21, 2010) - The Sunday, Feb. 7, Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals game has been flexed as NBC Sports’ “Game of the Week” and will be played at Verizon Center at the special time of Noon ET, the National Hockey League and NBC Sports announced today.  Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin last spring delighted the sports world with a memorable seven-game playoff series, including both superstars recording a hat trick in Game 2, that elevated what had been a rivalry between individuals into what many are calling the NHL's best current team rivalry.

Last night at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, the Capitals defeated the Penguins, 6-3, in the first meeting between the two teams of the season. Ovechkin scored two goals, while Crosby had one.

The Capitals, who have won eight of their last nine games, sit atop the Eastern Conference standings.  The Penguins have won five of their last nine games and reside in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

ADDITIONAL “GAME OF THE WEEK” MATCHUPS

This Sunday, the Penguins travel to Philadelphia to face the Flyers at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC.  This Keystone State rivalry has reached the boiling point after the Penguins eliminated the Flyers from the playoffs in two hard-fought series each of the past two seasons.

Sunday, Jan. 31, features a rematch of the last two Stanley Cup Finals when the Detroit Red Wings visit the Penguins in Pittsburgh.  Another great NHL rivalry was forged when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup last spring in seven games to dethrone the Red Wings, who had won in six games the previous season against the Penguins.  Jan. 31 marks the first meeting between Pittsburgh and Detroit this season.

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING

At least 13 days prior to the scheduled game, one game is selected for broadcast on NBC.  All NBC games will be broadcast on Sundays and all games will be presented in HD.  Games not flexed to NBC will be available to the teams’ regional carriers and remain at the originally announced start time.

    Members of the media can get more information about NBC Universal and its programming on the NBC Universal Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com.

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Keywords · NBC · ALEX OVECHKIN · CAPITALS · SIDNEY CROSBY · PENGUINS

Name: Christopher Paul (chris) Mccloskey
Organization: NBC Universal
Email:
Phone: 212-664-5598

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