National Hockey League Opens Doors to thePORTAL at NHL.com to Deliver Fans a Unique Stanley Cup Playoffs Experience

For First Time Ever, Fans Will Be Taken Inside The NHL’s Video Review Room In Toronto For Real-Time Coverage Of Every Goal Review;

Other Special Features Include The Cisco All-Access Pre Game Show

The National Hockey League (NHL) today opened the doors to thePORTAL at NHL.com to deliver fans a unique Stanley Cup™ Playoffs experience. the PORTAL at NHL.com leverages the exclusive access and unique digital media capabilities of the NHL to transport fans inside the action and behind the scenes with all 16 teams chasing the Stanley Cup.

thePORTAL at NHL.com is highlighted by special features such as live coverage from the NHL Video Review Room in Toronto. Each time a goal is reviewed during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, thePORTAL at NHL.com will be the only place for fans to learn in real-time how NHL® rules are being interpreted and applied, leading to goals being allowed or disallowed.

thePORTAL at NHL.com also will be the only place where fans can see video interviews with NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell and NHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy, who will discuss every call made the night before in the NHL Video Review Room.

Another key feature of thePORTAL at NHL.com is The Cisco All Access Pre Game Show. Each day starting at 4:30 p.m. (Eastern), The Cisco All Access Pre Game Show will stream on-demand and will spin fans out for news and analysis to the NHL arenas hosting that night’s action. The show will be hosted by Rob Simpson and Heidi Androl, and will originate from a studio inside the NHL Powered by Reebok Store on 6th Avenue in New York City.

“The Stanley Cup Playoffs are when NHL teams elevate their play in pursuit of the Stanley Cup. We’re elevating our game, too,” said Andre Mika, NHL Senior Vice President of Broadband and New Media, and Executive in Charge of Programming. “We’re breaking new ground in how we super-serve fans during our key events, an important element of our digital strategy to bring fans places other media cannot.”

Other unique features of thePORTAL at NHL.com include:
Dedicated beat reporters for all 16 Stanley Cup Playoff teams
Unprecedented coverage of games and off days: news, analysis, sidebars, quotes, reactions ─ thePORTAL at NHL.com will have all 16 playoff teams covered inside and out
SB Nation hockey blogs
A live, 24×7 News Ticker for all of the latest breaking information on the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Live streaming video of post-game press conferences via NHL Network Online’s “Livewire” channel
Video-centric series capsules that enable fans to see how a series has unfolded
Live action and behind-the-scenes photos and galleries
The “NHL Playoff Challenge™,” a Stanley Cup Playoffs “pick ‘em” contest
The definitive Stanley Cup record book normally developed for media only will now appear on thePORTAL at NHL.com for all to enjoy
Celebrity blogs ─ For the third consecutive year, NHL.com will feature exclusive blogs from celebrity hockey fans such as writer and director Kevin Smith (“Clerks”), writer and director Jason Reitman (”Juno”), Dave Annable (“Brothers & Sister”), Jay Baruchel (“Tropic Thunder,” “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”) and David Boreanaz (“Bones”), among others. Hockey fans will have the opportunity to post comments and interact with each celebrity blogger on NHL.com and Twitter.com/NHLCelebBlogs.
Guest columnists such as Sean Pronger, Craig Button and others

About the National Hockey League

The National Hockey League, founded in 1917, is the second-oldest of the four major professional team sports leagues in North America. Today, the NHL consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League’s international makeup, with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters. According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other sport. The NHL entertains more than 100 million fans each season in-arena and through its partners in national television (VERSUS, NBC, TSN, CBC, RDS, RIS, ESPN America, ASN and NHL Network™) and radio (NHL Radio™, Sirius XM Radio and XM Canada). Through the NHL Foundation, the League’s charitable arm, the NHL raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer™ and NHL Youth Development, and supports the charitable efforts of NHL players. For more information on the NHL, log on to NHL.com.

NHL and the image of the Stanley Cup are registered trademarks and the NHL Shield and Stanley Cup word mark are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. All Rights Reserved.

Contacts

NHL
Michael DiLorenzo, 212-789-2657
MDiLorenzo {at} NHL(.)com
Twitter: @umassdilo