HBO CANADA THE EXCLUSIVE CANADIAN BROADCASTER OF 24/7 PENGUINS/CAPITALS: ROAD
TO THE NHL WINTER CLASSIC

• Four-part, all-access series from HBO Sports^® follows the rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, leading up to their New Year's Day showdown
• Premieres Wednesday, December 15 at 10 p.m. ET/MT, day and date with HBO in the US

TORONTO, Oct. 15 /CNW/ - HBO Canada, a multiplex channel of Astral's The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (Western Canada), takes hockey-crazed Canadians inside one of the NHL's great rivalries, between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals, for 24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic, a four-episode, all-access reality series from HBO Sports' groundbreaking, 12-time Sports Emmy^® Award-winning 24/7 reality franchise.

"We're especially excited to bring this installment of 24/7 to Canada's rabid hockey fans through an ongoing partnership with HBO Canada that truly reflects the breadth of our innovative, engaging programming," said Ross Greenburg, President, HBO Sports. "With their intimate knowledge of the intricacies of the game, Canadians are sure to appreciate the deep look inside hockey - and enjoy the action as we spotlight one of the NHL's great rivalries."

Debuting Wednesday, December 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET/MT, 24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic follows the two clubs simultaneously, chronicling their highs and lows each week. The teams will meet in a December 23 regular-season matchup on the Capitals' home ice, leading into episode three, as the build-up intensifies for the January 1 showdown at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The series will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews of coaches, players and front-office personnel, as the Caps and Pens battle through their December schedules.

Episodes air on Wednesday nights - December 15, 22 and 29 and January 5 - at 10:00 p.m. ET/MT. The first three episodes will play prior to the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic; the series finale airs four days after the big match and tracks all the drama and excitement surrounding the Capitals and Penguins on game day.

24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic marks HBO Sports' first reality series in pro hockey. The executive producers are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; coordinating producers, Scott Boggins and Bentley Weiner; Aaron Cohen is the writer; Liev Schreiber narrates. Production assistance will be supplied by the National Hockey League.

24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic will be simulcast on HBO Canada HD, and will be available on demand. It will also be available on HBO Canada OnLine with Rogers, Bell TV, Videotron and Shaw following its network premiere.

HBO Canada is a multiplex channel offered by Astral's The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (Western Canada). HBO Canada brings Canadians the current slate of signature dramatic programs for which HBO is known, together with new and never-before-seen programming including comedy series, live specials, sporting events, behind-the-scenes content and titles from HBO's extensive library - all in an uncut and commercial-free environment. HBO Canada is offered in high definition on HBO Canada HD and programming is accessible on demand where available by service provider. For more information, please visit www.hbocanada.com.

The Movie Network is a member of the Astral family. Astral is one of Canada's largest media companies. It operates over 100 of the country's most popular pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and digital media properties. Astral plays a central role in community life across the country by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers. To learn more about Astral, visit astral.com.

Movie Central is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc. (CJR.B), a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.  

For access to The Movie Network's media room or Movie Central's press site, please visit http://tv.astral.com or http://mediacentre.corusent.com. 

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