Rogers Sportsnet will once again deliver more Vancouver Canucks hockey than any other Canadian broadcaster with 57 regular-season games in 2011-12 as the Canucks look to build on last season’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. Coverage gets underway on Monday, Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. (PT) on Sportsnet Pacific when Vancouver visits the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The broadcast schedule includes 49 games on Sportsnet Pacific and eight games on the Sportsnet ONE companion channel, Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey. The schedule will feature 18 divisional-rival games and 10 against Canadian-based teams.
Sportsnet’s audiences increased 13 per cent for its Canucks broadcasts last season, with an average of 452,000 (2+)* viewers per game.
“Sportsnet is the home of the Canucks and our coverage speaks to Vancouver fans who are hungry for Canucks hockey,” said Navaid Mansuri, Vice President of Finance & Sports Programming, Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. “Our coverage takes fans deeper than just the game, with in-depth analysis in our pre-game and post-game shows.”
Canucks broadcasts will feature play-by-play announcer John Shorthouse alongside former Canucks goalie John Garrett as analyst. Dan Murphy is the host. Sportsnet Connected will preview every game and provide post-game analysis immediately prior to and following each game, with host Don Taylor and studio analyst Gary Valk.
All 57 regular-season Canucks games on Sportsnet Pacific and Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey will be in high definition, including several key match-ups such as:
· Stanley Cup Rematch – Canucks seek revenge against the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 10:00 a.m. (PT)
· Jet landing – Vancouver hosts the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, March 8 at 7 p.m. (PT).
· Northwest Division Showdown – The Canucks face off against the Edmonton Oilers four times, starting on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. (PT).
· Northwest Division Showdown II – The Calgary Flames play Vancouver three times, including the Canucks’ final home game of the season on Thursday, April 5 at 6 p.m. (PT).
· Vancouver in La Belle Province – The Canucks visit the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 4:30 p.m. (PT).
Sportsnet Pacific will also televise four exhibition games next month. The pre-season schedule is as follows:
· vs. Calgary Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. (PT)
· vs. San Jose Sunday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. (PT)
· @ Anaheim Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. (PT)
· @ San Jose Thursday, Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. (PT)
