MSG Plus to Telecast #1 NHL Pick John Tavares' First Ever Game at Nassau Coliseum
NY Islanders Host NJ Devils on Wednesday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m.
New York, NY, September 21, 2009 – MSG Plus will premiere # 1 NHL Draft Pick John Tavares in his first game at the home of the New York Islanders, Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m. Jiggs McDonald will substitute for Howie Rose as the play-by-play voice and will be joined by MSG analyst Billy Jaffe as well as analyst Butch Goring and host/reporter Deb Placey.
Tavares, the 19-year-old phenom from Mississauga, Ontario, was selected first overall this past June. On July 15, Tavares signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Islanders. As an additional feature to celebrate Tavares' historic first game at Nassau Coliseum, MSG Plus will mark every time he is on the ice with an on-air graphic.
Before Wednesday's game, a special "NY Islanders 2009-10 Season Preview" show will premiere on MSG Plus at 6:30 p.m. The preview show will feature Jaffe in an exclusive interview with Tavares that was taped at training camp in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
In the interview, Tavares speaks about the pressure of being the first pick. "Being #1 is a special and unique thing that I am proud of, but I know there are a lot of things that come with it. I am prepared for the hard work that is ahead of me, and a lot of things I have yet to prove," he says.
Speaking about Tavares, Jaffe said, "The puck always seems to find him, he has a great set of hands, and that's what will eventually set him apart in the NHL. I also like his willingness to try things on the ice, he's not afraid to take chances."
MSG Plus will telecast 80 of the Islanders' 82 games for the 2009-10 season. The Islanders open their regular season at home against the 2009 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. on MSG Plus. This season, MSG Plus will televise a half-hour pre- and post-game show for most Islanders matchups.
