The star power of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin apparently could not outweigh the ratings-killing presence of two Canadian teams.
NBC will not air any games involving the Penguins or Capitals during the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Penguins will play the Ottawa Senators, while the Capitals will square off against the Montreal Canadiens.
Canadian television markets do not count towards U.S. television ratings, part of the reason why Canadian-based teams in the NHL, MLB and NBA very rarely make national TV appearances.
Instead, NBC will air Bruins/Sabres (Game 2), Coyotes/Red Wings (Games 3 and 6) and Predators/Blackhawks (Game 5).
