SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League and Sportsnet announced today that Sportsnet will continue coverage of the AHL’s 77th season with four live, national, high-definition broadcasts on Saturdays in November.
On Nov. 3, the Hamilton Bulldogs (top affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens) will host the Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres) in a North Division showdown at 7 ET/4 PT. The game will air live on Sportsnet ONE. Hockey Central host Daren Millard will be joined by analysts Brad May and John Shannon to preview the game as well as provide intermission analysis. Play-by-play announcer Kevin Quinn and analyst Louie DeBrusk hit the broadcast booth to call the action, while Gene Principe hosts from rinkside.
On Nov. 10, the Oklahoma City Barons (top affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers) pay a visit to the Abbotsford Heat (Calgary Flames) in an AHL twist on the Battle of Alberta. The game will air live on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet Pacific, as well as on Sportsnet ONE, at 10 ET/7 PT. Hockey Central host Jeff Marek and analysts Brad May and John Shannon will preview the game as well as provide intermission analysis. Play-by-play announcer Rob Kerr and analyst Charlie Simmer will call the game from up top while Louis DeBrusk provides rinkside analysis from between the benches. Roger Millions hosts from the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre.
On Nov. 17, the Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal Canadiens) and Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs) renew their rivalry at Ricoh Coliseum. That game can be seen on Sportsnet ONE at 3 ET/noon PT. The Hockey Central team of Daren Millard, Brad May and John Shannon will provide pre-game and intermission analysis while Joe Bowen and Greg Millen return to the broadcast booth to provide play-by-play and analysis, respectively, and Paul Hendrick hosts from rinkside.
And on Nov. 24, the Chicago Wolves (Vancouver Canucks) face off against the Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville Predators), live on all four Sportsnet regional channels at 8 ET/5 PT. The full broadcast team will be announced in the coming weeks.
In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for the players, coaches, managers, executives and broadcasters of all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 11th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2011-12. Through the years, the AHL has been home to more than 100 future members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, including legends such as Johnny Bower, Andy Bathgate, Gerry Cheevers, Larry Robinson, Patrick Roy and Brett Hull.
Sportsnet connects Canadian sports fans to their favorite teams and athletes using five platforms: TV, radio, print, online and mobile. Sportsnet is Fuelled By Fans, and delivers storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level. The multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, Sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet magazine, Sportsnet Mobile and the Hockey Central app on iPad and Playbook. Sportsnet is the Canadian leader in NHL and MLB television broadcasts and is home to 162 Toronto Blue Jays games, plus MLB Playoffs and the World Series.
