Blackhawks Look To Win First Stanley Cup Since 1961 In Game 6 At Philadelphia 6/9

The Chicago Blackhawks can win their first Stanley Cup since 1961 with a victory against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wachovia Center in Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports.

Dan Patrick again serves as event host for NBC Sports' coverage. Mike "Doc" Emrick (play-by-play), who is calling his 12th Stanley Cup Final, Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire (inside-the-glass reporter) will call the action. Patrick hosts NBC's studio show alongside analysts Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick.

Chicago leads the series 3-2 and can win its first Stanley Cup in 49 years with a victory. It is the longest current Stanley Cup drought. Philadelphia will attempt to stave off elimination and force a Game 7. The Flyers are 4-0 in the 2010 playoffs in elimination games and have defeated the Blackhawks all three times they played in Philadelphia this season, including Games 3-4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

MCGUIRE: "Philadelphia has proven they can bounce back for big games. Chicago is very comfortable right now. Game 5 was their big bounce back. They really pushed the pace."

MILBURY: "The response from Chicago was everything they needed. They answered the bell so resoundingly in Game 5. As hard as Chicago played, Philadelphia never made it easy. They didn't stop until the final whistle. The central question is, does Chicago have the will and character to match Philadelphia? If they do, they win the Stanley Cup."

MCGUIRE ON HOME ICE: "Home ice matters in this series. Both fan bases have been so energized. It's big for Philadelphia to be back at home.

MILBURY ON THE PHILLY CROWD: "They make it abundantly clear that they are there for the home team. It can be distracting for visiting players. The only way to neutralize that is to get an early lead."

VIEWERSHIP: Sunday night's Stanley Cup Final between the Blackhawks and Flyers was the most-watched and highest-rated non-overtime Game 5 in eight years. It was watched by 5.85 million viewers and posted a 3.3/6 rating, the most since 2002 (6.85 million and 4.2/8, Carolina-Detroit, ABC). The viewership and rating were up 31 and 38 percent, respectively, vs. last year's Game 5 (4.45 million; 2.4/5), between the then-defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins, featuring Sidney Crosby. In 2008, a triple-overtime game between Detroit and Pittsburgh was watched by 6.25 million viewers and generated a 3.8/7 rating.

The 2010 Stanley Cup Final is averaging 5.39 million viewers for the three games broadcast by NBC Sports (Games 1-2 & 5), the best viewership for the first three Stanley Cup games on network in eight years (5.77 million, 2002, Carolina-Detroit, ABC).

ON NBC SPORTS: Chicago is 7-2 on NBC Sports this season, including 3-0 against Philadelphia in the Stanley Cup Final (Games 1-2, 5). Philadelphia is 2-6 on NBC Sports in 2010.

GAME 7: If the Flyers win Game 6, NBC Sports will broadcast Game 7 this Friday at 8 p.m. ET from United Center in Chicago. It would be the second consecutive Stanley Cup Final Game 7 broadcast by NBC Sports. Last year, Pittsburgh defeated Detroit, 2-1, at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

OLYMPIANS COMPETING FOR THE CUP: Blackhawks Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Jonathan Toews won gold as teammates at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games when they competed for Canada. With a win Wednesday night, they will also win the Stanley Cup. Chicago's Patrick Kane can add the Cup to the silver medal he won in Vancouver as a member of Team USA.

Ten players on the rosters of the Blackhawks (six) and Flyers (four) competed in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. Of the 10, five won gold for Canada, one claimed silver for Team USA, one earned bronze for Finland, and two competed for bronze with Slovakia but lost to Finland. One player competed for Latvia.

GOLD - CANADA

Blackhawks: Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook & Jonathan Toews

Flyers: Chris Pronger & Mike Richards

SILVER - USA

Blackhawks: Patrick Kane

BRONZE - FINLAND

Flyers: Kimmo Timonen

SLOVAKIA

Blackhawks: Marian Hossa & Tomas Kopecky

LATVIA

Flyers: Oskars Bartulis

NBC SPORTS' 2010 STANLEY CUP COVERAGE BY THE NUMBERS:

 

1 Office Trailer

2 Net Cams

4 Production Trucks

6 Commentators

12 Number of Finals called by Mike ‘Doc' Emrick, including 2010

24 Cameras

35 Pounds (weight of Stanley Cup)

81 On-Site Personnel

15,840 Feet of Cable (approx)

NBCSPORTS.COM: "Star-cam" continues for the Stanley Cup Final. "Star-cam" tracks a player(s) from both teams throughout each of their shifts. Following the game, NBCSports.com will present bonus material, including "Star-cam" and "Net-cam" and bonus analysis from NBC Sports commentators.

 

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