NHL season kicks off in Europe

 

Andris Jansons (HV)

 

The hockey season is starting early this year, but North American hockey fans will be watcing it on TV.

 

The National Hockey League (NHL) will celebrate another landmark moment when the Los Angeles Kings and Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks play the League’s first regular-season games in Europe.

After three successful Game One events in Japan (1997, 1998 & 2000), NHL Premiere will mark the first time the NHL will play regular-season games in Europe. The home-and-home series, which has been sold out for months, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 5:00 p.m. (GMT) and Sunday, Sept. 30, at 5:00 p.m. (GMT).

 

There will be also one Latvian playing in this historical event - Los Angeles Kings forward Raitis Ivanans.

 

The first game of the season on Saturday will be televised live in Canada by the CBC and by HDNet and FSN West live in the U.S. The Sunday game is being televised live in the U.S. by Versus and on the NHL Network in Canada. The NHL Premiere Series will be televised in 115 countries.

 

Rest of the regular season in North America will start on October 3rd.

 

 

 

Photo: Chris Kunitz and Travis Moen with the Stanley Cup in London, England on September 26, 2007. © Bruce Bennett (Getty Images)