2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL GAME 1 BETWEEN DALLAS STARS AND TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING BEGINS TONIGHT AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBC

Stanley Cup Final Preview Conference Call Highlights from Mike "Doc" Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire and Sam Flood

"Everybody talks about this asterisk, about winning the Stanley Cup this year, and I just can't understand the logic behind that. I mean, to me, it's an exclamation mark." - Brian Boucher

"Without him, I don't see how Dallas could be in the Stanley Cup Final." - Pierre McGuire on Stars Goalie Anton Khudobin

STAMFORD, Conn. - Sept. 19, 2020 - The 2020 Stanley Cup Final between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning begins tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Dallas is in search of its first Stanley Cup title in 21 years, while Tampa Bay hopes to hoist the trophy for the first time in 16 years.

Eight-time Emmy Award-winner Mike 'Doc' Emrick will handle play-by-play duties alongside U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Brian Boucher ('Inside-the-Glass' analyst). Emmy Award winner Pierre McGuire will provide commentary throughout the game and contribute to intermission reports.

All Stanley Cup Final games will take place at Rogers Place in the NHL bubble in Edmonton, Alberta.

2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL SCHEDULE

Date Coverage Network Time (ET)

Sat., Sept. 19 Game 1 - Dallas vs. Tampa Bay NBC 7:30 p.m.

Mon., Sept. 21 Game 2 - Dallas vs. Tampa Bay NBCSN 8 p.m.

Wed., Sept. 23 Game 3 - Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBCSN 8 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 25 Game 4 - Tampa Bay vs. Dallas NBC 8 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 26 Game 5 - Dallas vs. Tampa Bay* NBC 8 p.m.

Mon., Sept. 28 Game 6 - Tampa Bay vs. Dallas* NBC 8 p.m.

Wed., Sept. 30 Game 7 - Dallas vs. Tampa Bay* NBC 8 p.m.

* If Necessary

DALLAS STARS

The Dallas Stars advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years with a 3-2 overtime Game 5 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday. This will mark the third Cup Final appearance for the franchise since relocating to Dallas, having also made it in 1999 (won) and 2000.

Dallas became the fourth team to overcome a deficit in each of its three series-clinching wins to reach the Stanley Cup Final since the four-round playoff format was introduced in 1975. Goaltender Anton Khudobin has been in net for all three of the Stars' series-clinching wins this postseason.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

The Tampa Bay Lightning reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2015 following their Eastern Conference Final 2-1 overtime win in Game 6 over the New York Islanders on Thursday. Anthony Cirelli netted his first career playoff overtime goal to propel the Lightning into the Cup Final for the third time in franchise history (2004 [won], 2015, 2020). In the matchup, Victor Hedman scored his ninth goal of the postseason to move into a tie for the third-most goals by a defenseman in a single playoff year.

PREVIEW OF DALLAS-TAMPA BAY 2020 STANLEY CUP FINAL

On Friday, NHL on NBC commentators Emrick, Olczyk, Boucher and McGuire as well as NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood previewed the 2020 Stanley Cup Final on a media conference call yesterday. Below are highlights:

Emrick on the honor of calling playoff hockey games this year: "To still have the excitement that did not enable me to sleep a lot after that overtime win last night, because it was less than 12 hours ago that I got to see and maybe you share with me what makes me so grateful to be around this sport... I'm honored to be able to watch athletes like this because they're so committed to a team sport... They came back from 13 different countries and entered training camp again for a second time, and they are doing all of this and putting on this marvelous show."

Olczyk: "Just being in the building, understanding it is different, but also understanding that when that puck is in play and there is nothing normal for any of us currently, it seems normal to myself, and that is incredible by these athletes and these teams and the dedication and the understanding of what's going on. It's been just great to be a part of."

Boucher on the Stanley Cup Playoffs: "From the players' standpoint, I think they deserve a lot of credit for what has taken place. Everybody talks about this asterisk, about winning the Stanley Cup this year, and I just can't understand the logic behind that. I mean, to me, it's an exclamation mark."

McGuire on Anton Khudobin: "I think he's probably been the biggest surprise of any player here in the Western Conference Playoffs, and without him I don't see how Dallas could be in the Stanley Cup Final."

Boucher on Andrei Vasilevskiy: "I've been really impressed... I just see a much more mature goaltender now that we knew had physical abilities and all the talent in the world starting to put it all together now."

McGuire on the Edmonton bubble: "It's not just here in the community. It's the healthcare professionals. It's the hotel workers. It's the people that work in the restaurants. We've become like a little family here in the Edmonton bubble."

Flood on the NHL's Restart: "We are really excited this Stanley Cup Final is even happening. After all the craziness and madness of this past year, to have the NHL pull this off and create these two bubbles in Toronto and then in Edmonton and have it all work so seamlessly and have these thousands and thousands of tests with no positives is just a tribute to Gary Bettman, Bill Daly and his leadership team for getting us to this point... I'm really proud and thankful for all the people that have committed so much to make this such a special Stanley Cup Final, one that will never be forgotten."

--NBC SPORTS--