HBO Sports^® and the NHL have joined forces to present “24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS:  ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC”  A  four episode All Access series leading up to the Winter Classic on New Years Day

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2010 – HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured 12 Sports Emmy^® Awards, will join forces with the National Hockey League to take viewers inside one of the NHL’s great rivalries, between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals, for 24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS:  ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC, an innovative four-episode, all-access reality series, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports and John Collins, chief operating officer for the NHL.

 The HBO Sports presentation debuts in prime time WEDNESDAY, DEC. 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), with an immediate encore at 11:00 p.m., and follows the two clubs simultaneously, chronicling their highs and lows each week.  The teams will meet in a Dec. 23 regular-season matchup on the Capitals’ home ice, leading into episode three of 24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS, as the build-up intensifies for the Jan. 1 showdown at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

 Noted Greenburg, “Taking our reality series ‘24/7’ into the world of the National Hockey League is a perfect fit.  The ‘24/7’ franchise is fashioned on larger-than-life personalities, engaging storylines and unrestricted access.  With Sidney Crosby leading the Penguins and Alex Ovechkin leading the Capitals, we have all the ingredients for a dynamic show that will take viewers deep inside professional hockey and set the stage for the Winter Classic.”

Said Collins, “Teaming up with the 12-time Emmy Award^®-winning and much acclaimed HBO ‘24/7’ series gives us an incredible opportunity to bring our fans even deeper inside two model hockey organizations during the regular season as we lead into the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.  In just three short years, the Winter Classic has become so well established on the national sports calendar it’s truly a New Year’s Day tradition.  Uniting HBO’s amazing reality series with one of sport’s greatest rivalries in an outdoor setting in front of 65,000 raucous fans will make this Winter Classic the most anticipated one yet.”

Ensuing episodes of 24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS:  ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC debut on subsequent Wednesdays – Dec. 22 and 29 and Jan. 5 – at 10:00 p.m., with an immediate encore play at 11:00 p.m.  The Jan. 5 series finale debuts four days after the Classic, with cameras tracking all the drama and excitement surrounding the Capitals and Penguins on game day.  All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand.

The series will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews of coaches, players and front-office personnel, as the Caps and Penguins battle through their December schedules, meeting twice in one week, including the first-ever NHL game at Heinz Field.

24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS: ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC is HBO Sports’ first reality foray into pro hockey.

With 12 Sports Emmy^® Awards, “24/7” is the most honored sports series of the past three years.  At the 2010 Sports Emmy^® Awards, the franchise took home five trophies for production excellence, including awards for Outstanding Edited Sports Special, Outstanding Camera Work and Outstanding Writing.

The executive producers of 24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS:  ROAD TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; coordinating producers, Scott Boggins and Bentley Weiner; Aaron Cohen is the writer; Liev Schreiber narrates.  Production assistance will be supplied by National Hockey League Productions.

[Content provided with permission from 247nhloutreach.com]

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1. Sidney Crosby, Penguins advance

Now both are outstanding players and both have already won several prestige awards already and reached significant achievements in their professional hockey careers. In only 5 years, Crosby has won several awards including the Hart Trophy and the Stanley Cup (and an Olympic gold medal), Ovechkin has won his fair share too, with awards such as the Hart Trophy, the Calder and the Art Ross. The thing that makes this rivalry so great is that like many great NHL rivalries like Gretzky vs Lemeiux, both players have different styles and characteristics that make them great, making it debatable topic that all fans find them selves getting involved in. However unlike the Gretzky vs Lemeiux comparison that everybody makes , these two young players are around the same age and in the prime of their careers at the same time (Gretzky had seven seasons finished before he started to compete with Mario).

[image source: SBnation.com]

Alexander Ovechkin a young 23 year old Russian player who has captured the hearts of fans all around the world. He is best known for his spectacular goals that leaves almost any goaltender standing still as he makes it look easy, and almost always finishes off with often controversial entertaining goal celebrations. He has proven that he is a superstar with his ability to perform and excel in the NHL and help make the Washington Capitals one of the best Cinderella teams in the Eastern Conference. Best of all with Ovechkin, you never have any idea what your are going to see next.

Now along comes Sydney Crosby, a young 21 year-old from Nova Scotia who has always been a fan favorite starting at a very young age. He is known for exceptional offensive techniques and his passion for the sport. Crosby is known for his quick spectacular passes, amazing goals and amazing team leadership.

As the NHL out dorr Winter Classic match enters its 4th year, many hockey fans will be treated to the outdoor matchup they have always been hoping for “Crosby versus Ovechkin”.

“If you love rivalries, Capitals-Penguins may be our best,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said in his opening remarks. “If you enjoy the sight of team captains providing passionate leadership and game-breaking skill, I don’t think you can do much better than Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. And if you can’t get enough star power, both of these teams are loaded with it. [http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=534984]

This years Winter Classic outdoor hockey match in Pittsburgh takes place on New Year’s Day and we will get to see another chapter in continuing Crosby versus Ovechkin Saga

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1. Sidney Crosby burns Ovechkin for breakaway goal

Sidney Crosby exited the game early in the second period, but returned at the start of the third. He injured his left leg after absorbing a clean, but very hard hit from Johan Franzen along the boards in the neutral zone. Crosby had trouble putting weight on his foot as he glided to the bench before limping down the runway to the dressing room.

Marc-Andre Fleury made some memrobale saves in the last few seconds denying Detroit’s final attempts to force overtime. Both Henrik Zetterberg and Nicklas Lidstrom had point-blank shots that Fleury was able to stop with his leg pad and then finally lunging across the crease to get his blocker on a quick wrist shot by Lidstrom.  Evgeni Malkin, who finished first in the playoff scoring was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.

[photo source: Wikipedia - wikipedia.org]

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