With the launch of ESPNU, a new 24-hour college sports network, viewers will see complete
coverage of the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship -- from the selection show to the
Frozen Four. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to televise all 15 games, marking the first time
every game of the Championship has been televised nationally, Friday, March 25 to Saturday, April 9.
ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will utilize several top ice hockey personalities, including leading ESPN
voices to call the action. Gary Thorne and Bill Clement, a
commentator team on ESPN's NHL coverage for 12 seasons, will call regional semifinal and final
games and the Frozen Four, where they will be joined by analyst Darren Pang, an
ESPN hockey analyst since 1993, and reporter Erin Andrews.
Other regional semifinal and final teams include: Pang with commentator
Eric Frede, a host and reporter of various sports for NESN, and Barry Melrose,
who joined the network in 1996 primarily as a studio analyst on NHL coverage, with commentator
Dave Ryan and reporter Adam Wodon.
Coverage will begin with the NCAA Hockey Selection Show Special Sunday, March 20 at 11
a.m. on ESPN2. John Buccigross will host the half-hour special with Pang and Wodon.
ESPNU will televise all 12 regional semifinal and final matchups -- eight live and four on a
same-day delay -- beginning Friday, March 25. ESPN2 will televise both semifinal games Thursday,
April 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. while ESPN will provide coverage of the Championship Saturday,
April 9 at 7 p.m. The Frozen Four will be offered in high definition on ESPN2 HD
(both semifinal games) and ESPN HD (the Championship). All 12 games on ESPNU will be
syndicated in select markets.
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| The NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship (schedule subject to change): |
| Network |
Date |
Time (ET) |
Game |
| ESPNU |
Fri. March 25 |
4:30 p.m. |
Worcester regional semifinal |
| ESPNU |
Fri. March 25 |
8 p.m. |
Worcester regional semifinal |
| ESPNU |
Fri. March 25 |
10:30 p.m.* |
Grand Rapids regional semifinal |
| ESPNU |
Sat. March 26 |
12:30 a.m.* |
Grand Rapids regional semifinal |
| ESPNU |
Sat. March 26 |
12 p.m. |
Amherst regional semifinal |
| ESPNU |
Sat. March 26 |
2:30 p.m. |
Minneapolis regional semifinal |
| ESPNU |
Sat. March 26 |
5 p.m. |
Grand Rapids regional final |
| ESPNU |
Sat. March 26 |
8 p.m. |
Worcester regional final |
| ESPNU |
Sat. March 26 |
10:30 p.m.* |
Amherst regional semifinal |
| ESPNU |
Sun. March 27 |
12:30 a.m.* |
Minneapolis regional semifinal |
| ESPNU |
Sun. March 27 |
12 p.m. |
Amherst regional final |
| ESPNU |
Sun. March 27 |
3:30 p.m. |
Minneapolis regional final |
| ESPN2 |
Thurs. April 7 |
2 p.m. |
National semifinal #1 (Columbus, Ohio) |
| ESPN2 |
Thurs. April 7 |
7 p.m. |
National semifinal #2 (Columbus, Ohio) |
| ESPN |
Sat. April 9 |
7 p.m. |
National championship (Columbus, Ohio) |
| * Same-day tape delay due to overlapping games |
|
| REGIONAL SEMIFINAL AND FINAL COMMENTATORS |
| Site |
Play-by-play |
Analyst |
Reporter |
| Worcester, Mass. |
Gary Thorne |
Bill Clement |
|
| Grand Rapids, Mich. |
Eric Frede |
Darren Pang |
|
| Amherst, Mass. |
Dave Ryan |
Barry Melrose |
Adam Wodon |
| Minneapolis, Minn. |
Bob Kurtz |
Fred Pletsch |
|
NATIONAL SEMIFINAL AND CHAMPIONSHIP COMMENTATORS |
| Site |
Play-by-play |
Analyst |
Reporter |
| Columbus, Ohio |
Gary Thorne |
Bill Clement/Darren Pang |
Erin Andrews |
|
ESPNU STUDIO COVERAGE OF NCAA MEN'S ICE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP |
| In addition, ESPNU will provide pre- and post-game studio analysis Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Mike Hall, the signature host for ESPNU, will host coverage with veteran college hockey
analyst Bob Norton. |
| Date |
Time |
| Friday, March 25 |
4 to 4:30 p.m. |
| Friday, March 25 |
7 to 8 p.m. |
| Saturday, March 26 |
7:30 to 8 p.m |
| Sunday, March 27 |
11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. |
| Sunday, March 27 |
2:30 to 3:30 p.m. |
|
ESPNU will provide live look-ins of the overlapping same-day tape delay games taking place
during studio coverage.
The expanded schedule is a result of a recent agreement between ESPN and the NCAA providing extensive
coverage of numerous NCAA championships on ESPNU. The multi-year pact (through 2012-13) includes
sports from each of the three collegiate seasons. Action will commence this month with various
rounds of the NCAA Division I and II Women's Basketball, NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling and NCAA
Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championships. All of ESPNU's NCAA championships coverage will supplement
existing action from each event on ESPN and ESPN2.
In general, ESPNU will present additional rounds and/or live coverage from at least 10 NCAA
Championships: Division I Women's Basketball, Division II Women's Basketball, Division I Men's
Wrestling, Division I Men's Ice Hockey, National Collegiate Men's Volleyball, Division I Men's
Lacrosse, Division I Softball, Division I Baseball, Division I-AA Football and Division I Women's
Volleyball.
|
ESPNU
The ESPNU schedule will feature approximately 300 live events (regular-season and championships) in
the network's first year. Action will include a variety of top football and men's and women's basketball
mixed with baseball, softball, volleyball, lacrosse, ice hockey, wrestling and more. ESPNU will
also offer comprehensive studio programming, replays of ABC Sports, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Regional
Television games, plus specials and more.
ESPNU has secured distribution agreements with DIRECTV, Adelphia, Mediacom, several smaller affiliates
and is close to distribution agreements with others. The 24-hour television network is the key
component of the multi-media ESPNU initiative that will deliver college sports content across ESPN's
family of services, such as ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Mobile (wireless), ESPN Radio, ESPN Interactive,
ESPN360 (broadband), merchandising and more.
Original Dream Job winner Mike Hall serves as ESPNU's signature anchor, hosting the majority of
the network's studio programming from Charlotte, N.C., headquarters of ESPN Regional Television (ERT),
which handles production responsibilities for ESPNU.
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