October 14, 2009

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The NHL Network (U.S.) will broadcast live the U.S. Women's National Team's Qwest Tour game against Canada Friday (Oct. 16) at the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash. Set for a 7:05 p.m. PT faceoff, the game marks the first of four Qwest Tour matchups to air on the network.

Jim Rich will handle play-by-play duties for the broadcast, with Cammi Granato providing color commentary and Shireen Saski serving as rinkside reporter.

The 10-game, nine-city Qwest Tour, which began with victories against the Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Stars and the University of North Dakota, will run until just prior to the start of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. Team USA will also face off against Finland; all-star teams from Hockey East and ECAC Hockey; and various NCAA Division I women's ice hockey teams.

ABOUT RICH

Rich, the sports director at KMSP FOX-9 in Minneapolis, has served as the play-by-play announcer for U.S. broadcasts at several International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships and World Women's Championships. He was also the master of ceremonies for the 2007 United States Hockey Hall of Fame Induction dinner and has broadcast hockey in Minnesota for over 25 years, including serving as the play-by-play announcer for the University of Minnesota Duluth's men's ice hockey team.

ABOUT GRANATO

Granato, an Olympic gold medalist, has experience broadcasting hockey at both the National Hockey League and international levels. She served as an analyst for NBC at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games and on the network's NHL broadcasts during the 2005-06 season. She also served as an analyst on Los Angeles Kings' radio broadcasts during the 1998-99 campaign. As a player, Granato is the U.S. Women's National Team's all-time points leader (186-157--343) and led the U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team to the first-ever gold medal presented in women's ice hockey at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games. Granato was inducted into both the IIHF and U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008, while in 2007, she received the National Hockey League's Lester Patrick Award in recognition of outstanding service to hockey in the United States.

ABOUT SASKI

A feature correspondent for FOX Sports Detroit, Saski provides reports for several shows including, "Red Wings Weekly", "Tigers Weekly", "CCHA All-Access", "Tigers Live" and "Red Wings Live". She also serves as a rinkside reporter for the network's Central Collegiate Hockey Association broadcasts.

NOTES: The NHL Network can be found on DIRECTV's channel 215 and the Dish Network's channel 403, as well as several digital cable providers (channels vary based upon provider) ... In addition to Friday's game, the NHL Network will broadcast the following Qwest Tour matchups: Sat., Dec. 12, against Canada in Denver, Colo. (7:05 p.m. MT), Wed., Dec. 30, versus Canada in St. Paul, Minn. (7:05 p.m. CT) and Thurs., Feb. 4, against Finland in Colorado Springs, Colo. (7:05 p.m. MT) ... Click here for Team USA's roster ... The U.S. Women's National Team opened the 2009-10 season by winning the Hockey Canada Cup in Vancouver, B.C. The tournament, which featured Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States, served as a test event for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games ... Coverage of the Qwest Tour, including ticket information, can be found on QwestTour.com, as well as on the U.S. Women's National Team's Facebook page and on the Qwest Tour Twitter page.