NHL ANNOUNCES 2006 STANLEY CUP CONFERENCE QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE

NEW YORK (April 19, 2006) -- The National Hockey League today announced the dates, times and broadcast information for the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoff Conference Quarterfinal round, which begins Friday, April 21.

That night, the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning host the Ottawa Senators; the 2005-06 Presidents' Trophy winners, the Detroit Red Wings, host the Edmonton Oilers; the Calgary Flames host the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the San Jose Sharks visit the Nashville Predators.

The other series open Saturday, when the Montreal Canadiens visit the Carolina Hurricanes, the New York Rangers visit the New Jersey Devils, the Philadelphia Flyers visit the Buffalo Sabres and the Colorado Avalanche visit the Dallas Stars.

National network television coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided in the United States by NBC and OLN and in Canada on CBC, TSN and RDS.

OLN begins its coverage on Friday, April 21 with a doubleheader featuring Edmonton at Detroit (7 p.m., ET) followed by Anaheim at Calgary (10 p.m., ET). The network anticipates airing up to 52 playoff games, as well as Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.

NBC Sports will start its playoff coverage on Saturday, (3 p.m., ET) with New York at New Jersey and will continue weekend afternoon coverage throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs as well as Games 3-7 of the Stanley Cup Final in prime time.

CBC's HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA continues its 54-year tradition of Stanley Cup Playoff coverage with three games on Friday. At 7 p.m. (ET), the network will show regional coverage of Tampa at Ottawa and Edmonton at Detroit, followed by Anaheim at Calgary (10 p.m., ET).

TSN is scheduled to televise 20 games in the Conference Quarterfinal round leading off Friday with San Jose at Nashville (8 p.m., ET.) TSN has coverage of the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

RDS will show complete coverage of the Montreal at Carolina series beginning Friday, April 21 (7 p.m., ET) and will continue showing live playoff action through the Stanley Cup Final.

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio each will distribute play-by-play coverage of every single Stanley Cup playoff game.

NHL RADIO on Westwood One will be producing a Game of the Week during the playoffs with coverage beginning on Friday. Westwood One will provide coverage with play-by-play of every game of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, as well as the Stanley Cup Final. The coverage can be heard on over 100 stations across the US, Canada, and on the Armed Forces Radio Network.