COVERAGE OF THE 2011 TIM HORTONS NHL HERITAGE CLASSIC
CBC Press Release
The NHL’s outdoor game returns to Canada on Sunday, February 20 and CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA is giving the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic comprehensive coverage as the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens faceoff from McMahon Stadium at 5 p.m. ET. The game is also available in 3D, presented by Panasonic.
CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA will broadcast live from Calgary as the two iconic franchises meet in the first NHL regular season game played outdoors in Canada since the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium on November 22, 2003. The game caps an exciting week of NHL hockey on CBC, with four matchups in total, including three all-Canadian showdowns.
“We’re thrilled to bring fans the first outdoor Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic in eight years,” said David Masse, Senior Director, CBC Sports. “Calgary’s McMahon Stadium provides us with a tremendous backdrop to anchor a week of great hockey action on CBC.”
Coverage on Saturday begins with a pre-game show at 5 p.m. ET with host Ron MacLean featuring the history of the outdoor game and interviews with alumni from both teams. A special Sunday night edition of Coach’s Corner with the legendary Don Cherry will warm fans up in the first intermission along with live musical performances throughout the evening. Jim Hughson handles play-by-play duties along with analyst Craig Simpson and ice-level commentary from Glenn Healy. Elliotte Friedman reports from rinkside. Weather reports will also be included in the coverage.
“The Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic is a marquee event and along with the NHL we are pleased to bring this spectacle to Canadians in both High Definition and in 3D,” says Trevor Pilling, Executive Producer, CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada. “It’s a great opportunity to see the pros play outdoors, the same way most Canadians first fell in love with the game of hockey.”
CBC’s HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA gets the special weekend going tomorrow night with an all-Canadian matchup between Montreal and Edmonton starting at 9 p.m. ET. On Saturday, Feb. 19, the focus shifts to McMahon Stadium at 5 p.m. ET with a special Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic Countdown and a look back at the 1986 Canadiens and 1989 Flames Stanley Cup winning teams. Scotiabank Hockey Tonight begins at 6:30 p.m. ET followed by the traditional double-header featuring Ottawa at Toronto and Dallas at Vancouver.
The CBC’s HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA weekend schedule includes:
Thurs, Feb. 17
9 p.m. ET Montreal at Edmonton
Sat, Feb. 19
5 p.m. ET – Tim Horton’s NHL Heritage Classic Countdown
6:30 p.m. ET Scotiabank Hockey Tonight
7 p.m. ET Ottawa at Toronto
10 p.m. ET Dallas at Vancouver
Sun, Feb. 20 – LIVE in 3D from McMahon Stadium
5 p.m. ET – Tim Horton’s NHL Heritage Classic Pre-Game Show
6 p.m. ET – Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic – Montreal at Calgary