Doubleheader (television)

A doubleheader is a term used by television networks to refer to two games involving the same sport that are shown back-to-back on the same network, even though the events do not involve the same two teams (three such games may be referred to as a tripleheader, this scenario occurring most frequently in regard to basketball). A doubleheader purposely coincides with a league's scheduling of "early" and "late" games. In North America, games usually start at the same time period in different time zones (Eastern and Pacific).

National Hockey League
In Canada, Hockey Night in Canada features a doubleheader on CBC on Saturday nights during the National Hockey League (NHL) regular season. The first game, featuring teams based in Eastern Canada, begins at 7:00 p.m. Eastern (4:00 p.m. Pacific Time). The second game, featuring teams based in Western Canada, airs at 10:00 p.m. Eastern (7:00 p.m. Pacific). On some Wednesday nights, Sportsnet may air a doubleheader.

In the United States, NBCSN also airs doubleheaders as part of its NHL coverage, usually on Monday nights, in the same time slots. During the 2010–11 NHL season, NBC debuted "Hockey Day in America", a televised doubleheader featuring regional games between six of the most popular hockey teams in the U.S. in the opening midday game and a nationally televised game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks in the afternoon. Completing a tripleheader would be the 2011 Heritage Classic, which aired instead on Versus (now NBCSN).