Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Turner gets rights to second NHL package
Turner Sports is the surprise winner of the National Hockey League’s second television package.
The two sides have agreed on a seven-year contract that includes three Stanley Cup Finals, two people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the contract had not been finalized.
Turner Sports and the NHL had no immediate comment on the deal, which was first reported by Sports Business Journal.
The agreement with Turner will give the NHL two network partners in the United States for the first time since 1998-99. The league reached agreement with Walt Disney Corp. last month that includes four Stanley Cup Finals, 25 regular-season games on ESPN and ABC, the NHL All-Star game and comprehensive streaming rights.
The NHL received $350 million in broadcast revenue from NBC ($250 million) and Disney Streaming Services ($100 million for digital rights) this season. The upcoming deals will average $635 million per year ($410 million from Disney and $225 million from Turner).
It marks the first time since Turner aired Atlanta Flames games in the late 1970’s that the cable giant will air hockey. It also gives Turner its second championship property (it alternates the men’s Final Four with CBS). It also gives Turner the rights to three of the four major North American sports; NBA games air
on TNT while baseball is on TBS.
Monday’s games CANADIENS 2, FLAMES 1 >>
Tyler Toffoli’s goal in the second period was the winner as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 on Monday night.
Toffoli scored his fourth goal in as many games and his team-leading 25th of the season. Shea Weber also scored for the Canadiens. Jake Allen made 21 saves for the win.
Montreal opened a sixpoint gap on Calgary, which is chasing the Canadiens for the fourth and final playoff berth in the North Division.
Elias Lindholm scored for Calgary. Jacob Markstrom had 22 saves in the loss.
The Flames beat Montreal in back-to-back games to start the three-games-infour-days series.
Montreal has a game in hand on Calgary. The Canadiens’ schedule down the stretch is tough with seven of their last nine games against teams ranked higher
in the division. BLUES 4, AVALANCHE 1 >> David Perron had a goal and two assists as the St. Louis Blues beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Monday night.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn, and Robert Thomas also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 30 saves as St. Louis won its second straight game against the Avalanche. Colorado won the season series 5-3.
Nathan MacKinnon scored for Colorado, and Jonas Johansson had 16 saves. The Avalanche remain four points behind West Divisionleading Vegas. Colorado has played one fewer game.
Tarasenko scored his fourth goal of the season on a power play 9:25 into the first period to put St. Louis up 1-0.
Schenn scored his 13th goal of the season when he one-timed a feed from Ryan O’Reilly with 6:26 remaining in the period to give St. Louis a 2-0 lead. Schenn had not scored in his previous 18 games.