The behind-the-scenes documentary series premieres Friday, exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States and on
YouTube.com/NHL
in Canada. The seven-episode series will go on the ice, in locker rooms, inside the minds of the players and coaches and everywhere in between to give viewers an all-access pass during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the pursuit of the Stanley Cup -- the hardest trophy to win in professional sports.
While Vegas appears to be enjoying every second of its Stanley Cup Playoff ride, Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik expresses some nervous excitement about the postseason during an event with season-ticket holders.
Standing in Tampa's way are the Boston Bruins, featuring the formidable line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, and goalie Tuukka Rask.
But Vinik says the Lightning anticipated the matchup, so the only thing left to do is buckle up and have some fun.
It's anything but fun for Rask, who loses one of his skate blades before the Lightning score a goal during Game 1, and the mics pick up the conversation between the officials and Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara about the play.
Meanwhile, Nashville Predators coach Peter Laviolette stresses his message to his players as they try to avoid falling behind 0-2 in their series against the Winnipeg Jets. After a big win in Game 2, cameras catch Laviolette in the winning room summoning "the head" to be awarded to the game's most valuable player.
In Pittsburgh, viewers get a look at the eerily similar pregame routines between the Penguins and their longstanding rivals, the Washington Capitals.
The tension is palpable as the teams battle in Game 1 before Alex Ovechkin scores the game-winner late in the third period and receives the postgame award fans need to see to believe.
It's a great way to start the second round and "Quest for the Stanley Cup" cameras are there to capture it all.
In addition to "Quest For The Stanley Cup," ESPN+ is providing NHL fans a chance to catch up on any of the action they missed from previous games or series with on-demand replays of every NHL® game throughout the 2018 Stanley Cup® Playoffs. Games are available on demand via ESPN+ after their live airing and remain available throughout the Playoffs. ESPN+ is also the exclusive home to In the Crease, a new nightly hockey show, co-hosted by ESPN's Linda Cohn and Barry Melrose. Each night of the Playoffs, In the Crease brings viewers comprehensive highlights and analysis of each game, plus interviews with top players and coaches from around the League, ESPN.com NHL writers, and guest appearances from SportsCenter anchors Steve Levy and John Buccigross. A new episode posts each night after the action on the ice is complete for fans to watch when they want, on demand.
Fans can follow the conversation via the official hashtag #StanleyCup.
