| Wednesday Night Rivalry | |
|---|---|
 NBCSN's Wednesday Night Hockey logo since 2018 | |
| Also known as | Wednesday Night Hockey |
| Genre | NHL game telecasts |
| Presented by | Mike Emrick Kenny Albert Eddie Olczyk Brian Boucher John Forslund Joe Micheletti Pierre McGuire Brendan Burke A. J. Mleczko Liam McHugh Kathryn Tappen Keith Jones Patrick Sharp Anson Carter Mike Babcock Ryan Callahan Dominic Moore |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 87 |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 180 minutes or until game ends |
| Production company | NBC Sports |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBCSN |
| Release | January 23, 2013 (2013-01-23) – May 12, 2021 (2021-05-12) |
| Related | |
| NHL on NBC | |
Wednesday Night Rivalry andWednesday Night Hockey was the branding used forNational Hockey League games that aired onNBCSN on Wednesday nights during the regular season from January 2013 to May 2021.
In the2012–13 NHL season, NBCSN rebranded their coverage of Wednesday night games asWednesday Night Rivalry. It primarily featuredrivalry games, although the network has received criticism for games which do not seem to include a strong element of rivalry (such asLos Angeles-Detroit,Pittsburgh-Buffalo, andChicago-Philadelphia) are common. NBCSN sometimes produces a Wednesday Nightcap game primarily featuringWestern Conference teams immediately following theirWednesday Night Rivalry game. Beginning in the2013–14 NHL season, NBCSN aired the seriesNHL Rivals, which looks back at the participating teams' historic rivalry, leading up to theirWednesday Night Rivalry game. That same season, NBCSN promoted the games with the slogan "The Night You Love To Hate".[1]
Beginning with the2018–19 NHL season, NBC Sports rebranded its Wednesday night broadcasts of the NHL asWednesday Night Hockey, with the focus shifting from rivalry games to powerhouse teams and top NHL stars. The first season ofWednesday Night Hockey featured more West Coast games and a few matchups featuring Canadian teams.[2]
| Date | Time | Away team | Score | Home team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Boston | 3 | New York Rangers | 4 (OT) |
| January 30, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 2 | Minnesota | 3 (SO) |
| February 6, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Boston | 2 | Montréal | 1 |
| February 13, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | St. Louis | 4 (SO) | Detroit | 3 |
| February 20, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Philadelphia | 6 | Pittsburgh | 5 |
| 10 P.M. | St. Louis | 0 | Colorado | 1 (OT) | |
| February 27, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Washington | 1 | Philadelphia | 4 |
| March 6, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Colorado | 2 | Chicago | 3 |
| March 13, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Philadelphia | 2 | New Jersey | 5 |
| March 20, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Minnesota | 4 | Detroit | 2 |
| March 27, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Montréal | 6 (SO) | Boston | 5 |
| April 3, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 1 | New York Rangers | 6 |
| April 10, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Boston | 5 | New Jersey | 4 |
| April 17, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Buffalo | 3 (SO) | Boston | 2 |
| April 24, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Los Angeles | 1 | Detroit | 3 |
| Date | Time | Away team | Score | Home team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Buffalo | 1 | Detroit | 2 |
| October 9, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 2 | St. Louis | 3 |
| October 16, 2013 | 8 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 2 | Washington | 0 |
| October 23, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 5 | Buffalo | 2 |
| October 30, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 2 | Pittsburgh | 3 |
| November 6, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 1 | N.Y. Rangers | 5 |
| November 13, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 2 | Pittsburgh | 1 |
| November 20, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 4 | Washington | 0 |
| November 27, 2013 | 7:30 P.M. | Boston | 1 | Detroit | 6 |
| December 4, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 6 | Detroit | 3 |
| December 11, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 2 | Chicago | 7 |
| December 18, 2013 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 4 (SO) | N.Y. Rangers | 3 |
| January 8, 2014 | 8 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 3 | Chicago | 2 |
| January 15, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Washington | 3 | Pittsburgh | 4 |
| January 22, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 4 | Detroit | 5 (SO) |
| January 29, 2014 | 7:30 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 2 | N.Y. Islanders | 1 |
| February 5, 2014 | 7:30 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 5 | Buffalo | 1 |
| February 26, 2014 | 7:30 P.M. | Boston | 4 | Buffalo | 5 (OT) |
| 10 P.M. | Los Angeles | 6 | Colorado | 4 | |
| March 5, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Washington | 4 | Philadelphia | 6 |
| March 12, 2014 | 7:30 P.M. | Boston | 4 | Montréal | 1 |
| March 19, 2014 | 8 P.M. | St. Louis | 0 | Chicago | 4 |
| March 26, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 1 | N.Y. Rangers | 3 |
| April 2, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 2 | Detroit | 3 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Phoenix | 0 | Los Angeles | 4 | |
| April 9, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Detroit | 3 | Pittsburgh | 4 (SO) |
| 10:30 P.M. | San Jose | 2 | Anaheim | 5 |
TSN'sBob McKenzie andDarren Dreger begin to make appearances on Wednesday Night Rivalry as NHL insiders every pregame and first intermission.[4]
| Date | Time | Away team | Score | Home team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 8, 2014 | 7:30 P.M. | Philadelphia | 1 | Boston | 2 |
| 10 P.M. | San Jose | 4 | Los Angeles | 0 | |
| October 15, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 3 (SO) | Detroit | 2 |
| October 22, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 5 | Pittsburgh | 3 |
| October 29, 2014 | 7:30 P.M. | Detroit | 4 | Washington | 2 |
| November 5, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Detroit | 3 | N.Y. Rangers | 4 (OT) |
| November 12, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 1 | Toronto | 6 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Los Angeles | 5 | Anaheim | 6 (SO) | |
| November 19, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 0 | N.Y. Rangers | 2 |
| December 3, 2014 | 8 P.M. | St. Louis | 1 | Chicago | 4 |
| December 10, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Toronto | 2 | Detroit | 1 |
| December 17, 2014 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 3 (OT) | Minnesota | 2 |
| January 7, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 3 (OT) | Pittsburgh | 2 |
| 10:30 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 4 | Anaheim | 1 | |
| January 14, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 0 | Washington | 1 |
| January 21, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 3 | Pittsburgh | 2 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Los Angeles | 2 | San Jose | 4 | |
| January 28, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 0 | Washington | 4 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Chicago | 3 | Los Angeles | 4 | |
| February 4, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 2 | N.Y. Rangers | 3 |
| February 11, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Detroit | 1 | Pittsburgh | 4 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Washington | 5 (OT) | San Jose | 4 | |
| February 18, 2015 | 7:30 P.M. | Detroit | 3 (SO) | Chicago | 2 |
| 10 P.M. | Los Angeles | 4 | Colorado | 1 | |
| February 25, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 4 | Washington | 3 |
| March 4, 2015 | 8 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 1 | Detroit | 2 (OT) |
| March 11, 2015 | 8 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 3 | Washington | 1 |
| March 18, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 1 | N.Y. Rangers | 0 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Los Angeles | 2 | Anaheim | 3 (OT) | |
| March 25, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 1 | Philadelphia | 4 |
| April 1, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 4 | Pittsburgh | 1 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Colorado | 1 | San Jose | 5 | |
| April 8, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 0 | Washington | 3 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Dallas | 4 | Anaheim | 0 |
| Date | Time | Away team | Score | Home team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2015 | 8 P.M. | NY Rangers | 3 | Chicago | 2 |
| 10:30 P.M. | San Jose | 5 | Los Angeles | 1 | |
| October 14, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 0 | Philadelphia | 2 |
| October 21, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 5 (OT) | Boston | 4 |
| October 28, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 3 | Washington | 1 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Nashville | 2 | San Jose | 1 | |
| November 4, 2015 | 8 P.M. | St. Louis | 6 (OT) | Chicago | 5 |
| November 11, 2015 | 7:30 P.M. | Montreal | 3 | Pittsburgh | 4 (SO) |
| November 18, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Washington | 2 (OT) | Detroit | 1 |
| December 2, 2015 | 8 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 1 | N.Y. Islanders | 2 (SO) |
| December 9, 2015 | 7:30 P.M. | Boston | 3 | Montreal | 1 |
| 10 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 4 | Colorado | 2 | |
| December 16, 2015 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 0 | Boston | 3 |
| January 6, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 1 | Chicago | 3 |
| January 13, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 2 | Philadelphia | 3 |
| January 20, 2016 | 8 P.M. | St. Louis | 2 | Detroit | 1 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Minnesota | 1 | Anaheim | 3 | |
| January 27, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 4 (OT) | Washington | 3 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Colorado | 4 | Los Angeles | 3 | |
| February 3, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Detroit | 1 | Tampa Bay | 3 |
| February 10, 2016 | 8 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 3 | Pittsburgh | 0 |
| February 17, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 5 | N.Y. Rangers | 3 |
| February 24, 2016 | 7:30 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 1 | Boston | 5 |
| 10 P.M. | San Jose | 3 | Colorado | 4 (SO) | |
| March 2, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 5 | Detroit | 2 |
| March 9, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Chicago | 2 | St. Louis | 3 (SO) |
| March 16, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 3 | Chicago | 2 |
| March 23, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 2 | N.Y. Rangers | 5 |
| March 30, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Washington | 1 | Philadelphia | 2 (SO) |
| April 6, 2016 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 0 | Detroit | 3 |
As part of the newWednesday Night Hockey format, "Inside the Glass" reporterPierre McGuire is now assigned to work the late game ofWednesday Night Hockey doubleheaders whileBrian Boucher takes over "Inside the Glass" reporting duties for the early game alongsideMike Emrick andEddie Olczyk. McGuire joins the lead team of Emrick and Olczyk during single-headerWednesday Night Hockey games. In addition,Kathryn Tappen replacedLiam McHugh as the studio host for the first half of the season when the latter was promoted to work postgame coverage ofSunday Night Football. The Toronto-Winnipeg game on October 24 marked the first-ever regular-seasonNHL on NBC broadcast to feature only Canadian teams and an NBC-produced broadcast (as opposed to a simulcast of a Canadian network).[8][2]
On February 20,Mike Tirico made his NHL announcing debut calling the Blackhawks–Red Wings game with Olczyk and Boucher.[9]
| Date | Time | Away team | Score | Home team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 3, 2018 | 7:30 P.M. | Boston | 0 | Washington | 7 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Anaheim | 5 | San Jose | 2 | |
| October 10, 2018 | 8 P.M. | Vegas | 2 | Washington | 5 |
| October 17, 2018 | 7 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 3 | Washington | 4 (OT) |
| 9:30 P.M. | Boston | 2 | Calgary | 5 | |
| October 24, 2018 | 7 P.M. | Toronto | 4 | Winnipeg | 2 |
| 9:30 P.M. | Tampa Bay | 1 | Colorado | 0 | |
| November 7, 2018 | 7:30 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 1 | Washington | 2 |
| 10 P.M. | Nashville | 4 | Colorado | 1 | |
| November 14, 2018 | 8 P.M. | St. Louis | 0 | Chicago | 1 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Anaheim | 0 | Vegas | 5 | |
| November 28, 2018 | 7 P.M. | St. Louis | 3 | Detroit | 4 |
| 9:30 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 3 | Colorado | 6 | |
| December 5, 2018 | 8 P.M. | Edmonton | 3 (SO) | St. Louis | 2 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Chicago | 2 | Anaheim | 4 | |
| December 12, 2018 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 3 | Chicago | 6 |
| December 19, 2018 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 2 | Washington | 1 |
| January 2, 2019 | 7 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 7 | N.Y. Rangers | 2 |
| 9:30 P.M. | San Jose | 5 | Colorado | 4 | |
| January 9, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Nashville | 4 (OT) | Chicago | 3 |
| January 16, 2019 | 7:30 P.M. | Boston | 3 | Philadelphia | 4 |
| 10 P.M. | San Jose | 3 | Arizona | 6 | |
| January 23, 2019 | 7:30 P.M. | Washington | 3 | Toronto | 6 |
| 10 P.M. | Nashville | 2 | Vegas | 1 | |
| January 30, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Tampa Bay | 2 | Pittsburgh | 4 |
| February 6, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 3 | N.Y. Rangers | 4(SO) |
| February 13, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Edmonton | 1 | Pittsburgh | 3 |
| February 20, 2019 | 7:30 P.M. | Chicago | 5 (OT) | Detroit | 4 |
| 10 P.M. | Boston | 3 (SO) | Vegas | 2 | |
| February 27, 2019 | 7:30 P.M. | Tampa Bay | 4 (OT) | N.Y. Rangers | 3 |
| 10 P.M. | Chicago | 4 | Anaheim | 3 | |
| March 6, 2019 | 7:30 P.M. | Washington | 5 | Philadelphia | 3 |
| 10 P.M. | St. Louis | 5 | Anaheim | 4 | |
| March 13, 2019 | 7 P.M. | Chicago | 5 | Toronto | 4 |
| 9:30 P.M. | New Jersey | 6 | Edmonton | 3 | |
| March 20, 2019 | 7:30 P.M. | Tampa Bay | 5 (OT) | Washington | 4 |
| 10 P.M. | Winnipeg | 3 | Anaheim | 0 | |
| March 27, 2019 | 7:30 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 3 | Boston | 6 |
| 10 P.M. | Vegas | 3 | Colorado | 4 | |
| April 3, 2019 | 8 P.M. | St. Louis | 3 | Chicago | 4 (SO) |
As part of the arrangement that was continued from the previous season,Brian Boucher joinedMike Emrick andEddie Olczyk for manyWednesday Night Hockey match-ups whilePierre McGuire will appear on other broadcasts. In addition,Kathryn Tappen replacedLiam McHugh as the studio host for the first half of the season when the latter was promoted to work postgame coverage ofSunday Night Football.[10]
Due to thecoronavirus pandemic, the NHL regular season ended on March 12.
| Date | Time | Away team | Score | Home team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Washington | 3 | St. Louis | 2 (OT) |
| 10:30 P.M. | San Jose | 1 | Vegas | 4 | |
| October 9, 2019 | 7:30 P.M. | New Jersey | 0 | Philadelphia | 4 |
| 10 P.M. | Los Angeles | 2 | Vancouver | 8 | |
| October 16, 2019 | 7 P.M. | Colorado | 2 | Pittsburgh | 3 (OT) |
| 9:30 P.M. | Philadelphia | 3 | Edmonton | 6 | |
| October 23, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 2 | Tampa Bay | 3 |
| October 30, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Minnesota | 1 | St. Louis | 2 |
| November 6, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Detroit | 1 | N.Y. Rangers | 5 |
| November 13, 2019 | 7:30 P.M. | Washington | 2 | Philadelphia | 1 (SO) |
| 10:00 P.M. | Chicago | 5 | Vegas | 3 | |
| November 20, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Washington | 5 | N.Y. Rangers | 2 |
| December 4, 2019 | 8 P.M. | St. Louis | 0 | Pittsburgh | 3 |
| December 11, 2019 | 7 P.M. | Boston | 2 | Washington | 3 |
| 9:30 P.M. | Philadelphia | 1 | Colorado | 3 | |
| December 18, 2019 | 8 P.M. | Colorado | 4 | Chicago | 1 |
| January 8, 2020 | 7:30 P.M. | Washington | 2 | Philadelphia | 3 |
| 10 P.M. | Dallas | 2 | Los Angeles | 1 | |
| January 15, 2020 | 8 P.M. | Philadelphia | 4 | St. Louis | 3 (OT) |
| January 22, 2020 | 8 P.M. | Detroit | 2 | Minnesota | 4 |
| January 29, 2020 | 7:30 P.M. | Nashville | 5 | Washington | 4 |
| 10 P.M. | Tampa Bay | 4 | Los Angeles | 2 | |
| February 5, 2020 | 8 P.M. | Boston | 2 | Chicago | 1 (OT) |
| February 12, 2020 | 7:30 P.M. | Montreal | 1 | Boston | 4 |
| 10 P.M. | Calgary | 3 | Los Angeles | 5 | |
| February 19, 2020 | 8 P.M. | N.Y. Rangers | 6 | Chicago | 3 |
| February 26, 2020 | 8 P.M. | Buffalo | 2 | Colorado | 3 |
| 10:30 P.M. | Pittsburgh | 1 | Los Angeles | 2 | |
| March 4, 2020 | 7 P.M. | Philadelphia | 5 | Washington | 2 |
| 9:30 P.M. | Anaheim | 4 | Colorado | 3 (OT) | |
| March 11, 2020 | 8 P.M. | San Jose | 2 | Chicago | 6 |
Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the start of the2020–21 NHL season has been delayed to January 13, 2021, and all teams played a 56-game division-only schedule with the NHL temporarily realigning divisions to minimize travel as much as possible, with all seven Canadian teams playing one division due to COVID-19cross-border travel restrictions imposed by theGovernment of Canada.
NBCSN opened the season with a season-opening triple header on January 13, 2021 as part ofWednesday Night Hockey. 19 different teams featured in 19Wednesday Night Hockey matchups which will include a blend of Eastern, Western, and Canadian markets. Star players such asConnor McDavid,Auston Matthews,Alexander Ovechkin,Steven Stamkos,Sidney Crosby,Patrick Kane,Carey Price,David Pastrnak,Claude Giroux, and the#1 overall pick in the2020 NHL Entry Draft,Alexis Lafreniere, will be featured inWednesday Night Hockey. 14 out of the 19Wednesday Night Hockey matchups will feature a team that made the2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. However, not all games will be exclusive, unlike in previous seasons.[11][12]
NBC did not name a presumptive lead play-by-play voice following the retirement of Mike Emrick and chose to rotate betweenJohn Forslund andKenny Albert.[13] Eventually,Mike Tirico was added to the rotation starting with the Bruins-Flyers game on February 3.
This was the final season of NBC broadcasting NHL games before the league's new American national television contracts withESPN/ABC andTNT beginning with the2021–22 season.[14][15][16][17] TNT has largely maintained Wednesday night as the primary night for its coverage.[18]
Wednesday Night Rivalry has produced successful viewership forNBCSN.
Duringits inaugural season,Wednesday Night Rivalry was called "the hottest new brand in sports" byForbes. It claimed six of the top eight most-watched NHL regular-season telecasts ever on NBC Sports Network and averaged 646,000 viewers. With the success ofWednesday Night Rivalry, the 2012–13 NHL season was the most watched NHL season on cable in 19 years.[3]
During the2013–14 NHL season,Wednesday Night Rivalry averaged 559,000 viewers, up 26% from its average viewership of Wednesday night games during the2011–12 NHL season (443,000). The first two seasons ofWednesday Night Rivalry has recorded none games with more than 700,000 viewers as compared to four during the two seasons prior to the introduction ofWednesday Night Rivalry.[4]
During the2014–15 NHL season, NBCSN'sWednesday Night Rivalry coverage averaged 565,000 viewers. NBCSN's opening night coverage ofBruins-Flyers had an opening-night cable record 956,000 viewers. Seven of the 10 most-watched NHL games on NBCSN wereWednesday Night Rivalry games.[5]
During the2015–16 NHL season,Wednesday Night Rivalry averaged 608,000 viewers and produced three of the 10 most-watched NHL regular-season games on NBCSN during their time as the NHL pay television carrier. NBCSN's 10-most watched games of the 2015–16 season were eitherWednesday Night Rivalry orSunday Night Hockey games.[6]