The Stanley Cup finals open Saturday night. For the second straight year, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins faceoff for the Cup. The Red Wings won the cup in six games.

In a switch of coverage, NBC will televise the first two games of the finals Saturday and Sunday, while Versus televises Games 3 on Tuesday, and Game 4 next Thursday. Normally, Versus would televise the first two games. But NBC wanted to have the first two games because Conan O'Brien debuts as the new host of "The Tonight Show" on Monday, and NBC doesn't want the possibility of games lasting past 11:35 p.m., which would push back the start of "The Tonight Show."

NBC will have coverage of Games 5-7, if necessary, June 6, 9 and 12.

The NBC coverage will be seen in the Capital Region on WNYT (Ch. 13) and WNYT HD.

All games, except for Game 2, will start at 8 p.m. Game 2's start time has yet to be determined, although it will be a night game.

I will have my Cup finals prediction soon.