TORONTO -- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Wednesday that ABC Sports will televise five Stanley Cup playoff games starting next month.
ABC will carry the playoff games on its network through an arrangement with ESPN, the U.S. rightsholder for NHL games.
ABC owns ESPN.
The games are scheduled for five consecutive Sundays starting at 1 p. m. Eastern, starting on April 18 with a division semifinal series game. The other broadcasts include another division semifinal game on April 25, division final games on May 2 and May 9 and a conference championship game on May 16.
ESPN will provide the production of the games. The cable sports network signed a five-year, $80 million deal with the NHL during the offseason, and that deal reportedly contained a provision to include five playoff games on ABC.
