NHL Network Invites Fans To Pick a Podium During Media Day

Before the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings took to the ice last night in Game 1, they took to the podiums at Prudential Center for Media Day. NHL Network was on hand in Newark, NJ, to provide three hours of live, exclusive coverage of Tuesday’s event and officially kick off the 2012 Stanley Cup Final.

This year, NHL Network selected three podiums to stream live on NHL.com, allowing fans to switch among the broadcast feed and three dedicated feeds to catch their favorite players’ press conferences in their entirety.

[monoslideshow id=33]

 

Traditionally the day before the Stanley Cup Finals, Media Day provides media members an opportunity to interview all players and coaches for both teams. NHL Network covered the three-hour event live from a set overlooking the Prudential Center concourse. In addition to two cameras covering the set and the three dedicated podium cameras, NHL Network used a jib to pan the crowd gathered at the event.

From 1 to 4 p.m. ET, Kathryn Tappen, Barry Melrose, Doug Weight, Darren Pang, Kevin Weekes, and E.J. Hradek anchored live coverage from the set, with Joe Micheletti covering the Devils’ practice session and Steve Mears reporting on the Kings’. NHL Network replayed the three-hour special Tuesday night.

“We have unique access this year to the players,” says Mark Preisler, executive producer, NHL Network, “and a very unique perspective, with Doug Weight, who’s a current assistant coach [for the New York Islanders], [and] Barry Melrose, who coached the Kings last time they were in the Stanley Cup [Finals, in 1993]. Kevin Weekes and Darren Pang [were] both goaltenders. This series is a lot about [Devils goaltender Martin] Brodeur and [Kings goaltender Jonathan] Quick, so we’ll use [Weekes and Pang] to our advantage to break down their playing styles.”

In addition to streaming the three-hour show live to NHL.com, NHL Network dedicated three Sony PMW-EX3 camcorders to capture live streams of prominent players, coaches, and team officials from both teams stationed at podiums 4, 7, and 8 throughout the day.

Complementary Coverage
With the 2012 Stanley Cup Final set to air on NBC and NBC Sports Network, NHL Network will work in conjunction with NBC Sports Group to provide complementary coverage throughout the series.

“We complement each other,” says Preisler of NHL Network’s relationship with NBC Sports Group. “We’ll be on when they’re not on. Our aim is to grab the hockey fan that doesn’t get enough hockey.”

On game days, NHL Network will provide three hours of pregame coverage: NHL Live from 5 to 7 p.m. ET and NHL Tonight: 2012 Stanley Cup Final Pre-Game Show from 7 to 8 p.m. The network will follow each game with NHL Tonight: 2012 Stanley Cup Final Post-Game Show, comprising press conferences, highlights, and analysis.

On non-game days, NHL Network will air three hours of programming dedicated to the Finals: NHL Live from 5 to 7 p.m. ET on weeknights and NHL Tonight: 2012 Stanley Cup Final Edition every night. All NHL Network programming will be carried in HD to U.S. audiences.

Throughout the Playoffs, NHL Original Productions has selected players to wear microphones that captured in-game commentary. On June 3, at 8 p.m., NHL Original Productions will present Inside the Cup, which weaves that footage and audio into the story of how the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Password must contain the following:

A lowercase letter

A capital (uppercase) letter

A number

Minimum 8 characters