Sun Sports picks up Stanley Cup Game 1 in Tampa area

Bay area hockey fans looking to catch Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals rematch between Detroit and Pittsburgh on Saturday won't be left out in the cold.

The game will be broadcast nationally on NBC, but is being pre-empted locally on WFLA, Channel 8, which will show its annual All Children's Hospital telethon starting at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

Sun Sports, which telecasts Tampa Bay Lightning games, is picking up Game 1, which begins at 8 p.m.

The Lightning led the way in trying to find a home for Saturday's game to ensure it was shown in the local market. On DirecTV, the game will air on channel 656 while Dish Network subscribers will find the game on channel 451.

"On behalf of hockey fans in Tampa Bay, we are pleased that NBC and the NHL heeded the Lightning's call and made the broadcast happen tomorrow night," Lightning spokesman Bill Wickett said. "We especially thank Sun Sports for working through some big hurdles to pull this off on such short notice."

Sun Sports juggled its lineup to accommodate the change, including a potential University of Florida Super Regional baseball game which would not be aired in Tampa on cable outlets but would be shown on Sun Sports regular DirecTV channel at 653 and on Dish Network on channel 422

"We wanted to do our part to make sure Tampa Bay area fans could see this game, so when the league and the Lightning contacted us, we were more than happy to make it happen," said Steve Liverani, Sr. VP/GM of Sun Sports & FOX Sports Florida.

The telethon will also pre-empt NBC's coverage of the French Open tennis tournament Sunday afternoon. No outlet has offered yet to pick that up.

WFLA was denied a request to air both sporting events on 8 Prime, its digital channel (8.2) that schedules vintage shows from the Retro Television Network.

Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final will air on WFLA on Sunday as scheduled, either at 7 or 8 p.m.

The telethon has disrupted NBC sports coverage on Channel 8 in the past. In previous years, the NHL has worked out deals to have locally pre-empted Stanley Cup games shown on other channels.

The telethon, in its 26th year, raises money for All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and its outreach locations throughout West Central Florida, which serve children from across the state. Hospital officials say the money has been used to help build intensive-care units, patient wings and outreach facilities in several counties.