Hockey East announced today that it has signed a two-year deal with Fox Sports Net New England. It includes nine regular season contests during the 2000-01 season and two to three Hockey East quarterfinal matches, as well as the semifinals and the championship game at the FleetCenter in mid-March. The pact extends a three-year relationship that ran through last season.
Six of the nine regular season games have been determined with the other three left open as “wild cards.” The six feature Boston University, Boston College, Maine and New Hampshire twice each, and include eight of the nine league teams, omitting Merrimack. The broadcasts begin with the Boston University-Boston College rivalry on Jan. 7, 2001.
All games will be shown live except for the second playoff semifinal game, which will be on tape delay.
Combined with local and regional telecasts on the BU, UNH and Maine networks, the Fox Sports Net package guarantees that at least 20 percent of the league’s 108 regular-season head-to-head battles will be televised, an all-time high.
“We are very pleased with the increasing amount of exposure we will be receiving this season and beyond, especially through our continuing partnership with Fox Sports Net New England,” said Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna. “Their network has enabled us to reach fans that would otherwise be out of our range of influence and we look forward to sharing that advantage for years to come.”
Regular Season Schedule
(all games at 7:00 p.m.)
Sunday, January 7 Boston University at Boston College
Saturday, January 13 Boston University at Maine
Saturday, January 20 New Hampshire at Northeastern
Saturday, January 27 Maine at Boston College
Saturday, February 3 UMass Amherst at UMass Lowell
Saturday, February 10 Providence at New Hampshire
Friday, February 16 “Wild Card” Game
Saturday, February 24 “Wild Card” Game
Saturday/Sunday, March 3 or 4 “Wild Card” Game
Hockey East Tournament Schedule (6 games)
Thursday, March 8 Quarterfinal Game, 7:00 p.m. **
Saturday, March 10 Quarterfinal Game, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 11 Quarterfinal Game (If Necessary), 7:00 p.m.
Friday, March 16 Semifinal #1 – LIVE, 5:00 p.m.
Friday, March 16 Semifinal #2 – TAPE DELAYED, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 17 Championship Game – LIVE, 7:00 p.m.
** – The Thursday night game is tentative; host schools decide whether to begin their series on Thursday or Friday night.
