Sportsnet’s Can’t Miss Events: January 23 - 30, 2012

– Hot night for hockey on Tuesday with 4 NHL match-ups –

– Canadian Olympic berth quest continues at 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifiers –

– Exclusive Canadian broadcast of Saturday night’s UFC: Evans vs. Davis –

– Complete coverage of AHL All-Star Skills Competition and AHL All-Star Classic –

 

TORONTO,ON (January 23, 2012) –Sportsnet heads into the final week of January, providing hockey fans with one last taste of regular season NHL action on Tuesday night, prior to the All-Star break. Coverage of Canada and the 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament continues from BC Place in Vancouver throughout the week, while Saturday night, all eyes will be on Sportsnet with the exclusive broadcast of UFC: Evans vs. Davis. Sunday it’s back to the ice as Sportsnet drops the puck on the AHL All-Star Skills Competition, followed by the AHL All-Star Classic on Monday.

NHL

 

Sportsnet’s action-packed, four regional NHL game lineup on Tuesday, Jan. 23 kicks off on Sportsnet Ontario as the Toronto Maple Leafs head to Long Island to face John Tavares and the New York Islanders at 6:30 p.m. ET.  HOCKEY CENTRAL features analysts Nick Kypreos, Doug MacLean and Scott Morrison with host Daren Millard previewing the match-up and providing analysis both during and immediately following the game from the Sportsnet studio. Christine Simpson will report live from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Joe Bowen handles the play-by-play with former NHL goaltender Greg Millen as analyst and Paul Hendrick as host.

The action continues on Sportsnet East as the surging Ottawa Senators head to the desert to face the Phoenix Coyotes at 8:30 p.m. ET.   Dean Brown and NHL Hall-of-Famer Denis Potvin provide play-by-play and analysis, respectively, with Ian Mendes as host.  Meanwhile on Sportsnet West, the Calgary Flames look to keep pace in the playoff race as they face the Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks at 6:30 p.m. MT.  Handling play-by-play is Rob Kerr with analysis by former NHLer Charlie Simmer.  Eric Francis will provide additional Flames analysis during the pre-game show and intermissions.  Roger Millions is host.  HOCKEY CENTRAL, with host Jeff Marek and analysts John Shannon and former NHL head coach Mike Keenan, will preview the match-ups on both the Senators and Flames broadcasts as well as providing intermission and post-game analysis.

An all-Canadian western showdown closes out the evening as the Edmonton Oilers host the Vancouver Canucks at 7:30 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and 6:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet Pacific. HOCKEY CENTRAL with host Don Taylor and analyst Garry Valk will cover the pre-game show for both the Flames and Oilers broadcasts. 

Sportsnet West viewers will see Kevin Quinn (play by play) and former Oiler Louie DeBrusk (analyst) call the game, while sportsnet.ca columnist Mark Spector joins host Gene Principe for pre-game and intermission analysis.  Over on Sportsnet Pacific, John Shorthouse will have the play-by-play with analysis from former Canuck John Garrett and host Dan Murphy bringing viewers all the action from Rogers Arena.

*NHL Regional Restrictions apply to these broadcasts

 

2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament

 

Canada continues their mission to punching a ticket to The London 2012 Olympic Games at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, as they host their final group stage match against Costa Rica tonight (Monday), at 10:30 p.m. ET on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet Ontario, 8:30 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and 7:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet Pacific.  With two tournament victories under their belt, Canada has already earned a berth in the semi-finals on Friday, Jan. 27 (match-ups TBD); with a win or draw tonight the Canadians will clinch first place in Group A.  Please log on to sportsnet.ca for the complete broadcast schedule.

SOCCER CENTRAL’s Gerry Dobson and Craig Forrest provide play by play and analysis, respectively, for all games in the tournament, including the semi-finals and final. Craig MacEwen joins Dobson and Forrest at BC Place to host Sportsnet’s broadcasts, alongside Stephen Brunt and former Canadian Women’s National Team member Kara Lang. Breakfast Television Vancouver’s Jody Vance rounds out the broadcast team, updating fans from the sidelines.

UFC: Evans vs. Davis

Sportsnet has the exclusive Canadian broadcast of UFC: Evans vs. Davis on Saturday, Jan. 28 starting at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT with live coverage of the preliminary fights on Sportsnet ONE, followed by the main card on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.  The main card is highlighted by the Light Heavyweight bout between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis.  Evans missed an opportunity to fight Jon Jones for the Light Heavyweight title last month due to a thumb injury.  A victory over Davis, injury free, will serve Evans another shot at the title against Jones in the spring.  Also, the winner of this Saturday’s Middleweight bout between Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen is guaranteed a title shot with Middleweight champion Anderson Silva later this year.      

Sportsnet Connected will also provide coverage leading up to the event with nightly reports hosted by “Showdown” Joe Ferraro during the evening and prime editions starting on Wednesday, Jan. 25.  Additionally, sportsnet.ca will have live streaming of the pre-fight press conference on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT, the official weigh-in on Friday, Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT and the post-fight press conference on Saturday, Jan. 28.

2012 AHL All-Star Classic Weekend

The 2012 AHL All-Star Classic festivities begin with the AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT, and conclude with the AHL All-Star Game on Monday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.  Both days’ events, featuring the top young talent in the American Hockey League and coming from Atlantic City’s historic Boardwalk Hall, will be seen live on the Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific channels. 

About Sportsnet

Sportsnet connects Canadian sports fans to their favourite teams and athletes, using five platforms: TV, Radio, Print, Online and Mobile. Sportsnet is Fuelled By Fans, and delivers storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level.  The multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet magazine, Sportsnet Mobile and the Hockey Central app on iPad and Playbook.  Sportsnet is the Canadian leader in NHL and MLB television broadcasts and is home to 162 Toronto Blue Jays games, plus MLB Playoffs and the World Series.  Sportsnet is an official broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and also offers an exciting sports lineup including the NFL, the Rogers Cup tennis tournament, the Memorial Cup, and soccer programming with UEFA Champions League, Barclays Premier League, MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Canadian national team matches for men and women. Sportsnet Connected is the network’s nightly news program, providing regional and national coverage of the day’s events in the world of sports.

 

Social Media Links:

Twitter: @SportsnetCanada

Facebook:  www.Facebook.com/Sportsnet

 

 

 

-30-