Golf Channel Will Air NHL Playoff Games

Some NHL playoff games might be hard for fans to find.

NHL fans might have a hard time finding some playoff games this postseason. A pair of first-round Game 4’s are scheduled to air next week on Golf Channel.

The potential clinching games of the Lightning-Devils and Ducks-Sharks series next Wednesday will only be available outside the local markets on Golf Channel. 

First-round playoff games air on the teams’ usual local broadcasters, with the exception of NBC’s exclusive broadcasts. Outside the local markets, viewers can find the games NBCSN, CNBC, USA Network and NHL Network. For the two games next Wednesday, though, hockey is getting bumped to Golf Channel even though NHL Network isn’t showing any games. 

So the GOLF Channel (?!) gets back-to-back NHL game fours. Here’s what’s airing in those blocks on other channels:

NHLN: Six hours of NHL Tonight
NBC: Family Feud and local news
CNBC: Shark Tank re-runs
USA: Law and Order SVU/Suits re-runs

NBC sending a message, I suspect..

— Travis Yost (@travisyost) April 9, 2018

(You can find Golf Channel by entering your zip code here.)

“Since we began televising every game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2012, we have and continue to receive great cooperation from CNBC and USA Network, who will air several nights of playoff games this year,” NBC Sports president of programming Jon Miller said in a statement. “However, because of programming conflicts on Wednesday night, April 18, for the first time we will extend coverage to Golf Channel, our widely distributed 24/7 sports network.”

Luckily, this shouldn’t be an issue for the rest of the playoffs, once the field is narrowed down.