Rite of Spring '14: Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?

[Kramerica Industries]

What's the reason why NBC isn't doing all seven games?

I can't recall the national broadcasting partner ever doing every game. ESPN broadcast four of the potential seven games under the Fox deal '95-'98, and ESPN and OLN/Versus/NBCSN have broadcast two of the seven Finals games since then as well. I'm guessing it was the same arrangement with ESPN and ABC in the early '90s as it was in the '00s. Why is this standard practice? Beats me, but after ~25 years of this, it's probably not changing any time soon.

[RyanMcD29]

What's the reason why NBC isn't doing all seven games?

I can't recall the national broadcasting partner ever doing every game. ESPN broadcast four of the potential seven games under the Fox deal '95-'98, and ESPN and OLN/Versus/NBCSN have broadcast two of the seven Finals games since then as well. I'm guessing it was the same arrangement with ESPN and ABC in the early '90s as it was in the '00s. Why is this standard practice? Beats me, but after ~25 years of this, it's probably not changing any time soon.

Also I guess it makes business sense to throw on two games on NBCSN to increase the value of the channel or whatever. I would've put Games 1 & 3 on NBCSN to take advantage of the Belmont bump plus avoid any 4 game sweep on cable scenario, but it is what it is. At least with its carriage levels these days it wouldn't be a disaster like it would be with OLN or the first year or so of Versus

[CS85]

...and the Blackhawks weren't even that good this year. Regular season and playoffs. If they can half ass games with a lukewarm bench and mercurial goalie and still make a great team need 7 games to deny them a cup defense, then yeah. It's scary.

Please.

The Blackhawks were scary as always, they just lost fair and square.

I'm not sure when I ever said anywhere that the Blackhawks were cheated, but thanks for putting words in my mouth. All I was implying was that this was a haphazard, exhausted team that wasn't properly replenished after a very short offseason yet still, thanks to the magical powers of their stars found a way to come back from 3-1 in a series where they were overmatched.

But yeah, the refs screwed them or something, blah blah. Doofus.

While I will agree with you that the 'Hawks had a short off season, please don't use the excuse that they were tired. The Kings have played the most playoff games over the past three years, so that makes the idea moot. You get to Game 7 of overtime of the conference finals, it's not who's got more energy, it's who's going to get the lucky break. The Kings got it. This was a series of two teams going blow to blow and never backing down. It was probably an awesome game to watch. I didn't watch it because I had something planned for that night, so I went out and did it just like I did for Game 4 of the first round, Game 7 of the first round, and Game 7 of the second round. I wasn't about to change, but I will say that seeing a 3-2 score after one concerned me. I don't know how many games the Kings have one after giving up three goals in the first round over the past three years, but it's probably less than 10. Having the fortitude to get it to overtime, says a lot about them. And yes, I will say, the got friggin' lucky to win the game. I'll take it. I will give credit to the 'Hawks, they're one hell of a team and keep coming. And when you start hating players because they just keep coming (Toews and Kane), that's when it becomes fun. And I didn't hate them before, and I don't know, I just hated that they are friggin' battlers and never give up! I look forward to next year and the conference finals between these two. It's gonna be fun. The thing that impressed me about this series, was it was hard and not chippy. It's the way hockey supposed to be played.

Yeah, listen - I'm not trying to make excuses for them. They lost. That's fine, but you guys seemed convinced to put me in my place or something. If you want me to sit here and go "Those Kings sure beat the out of my favorite team in every regard and by golly there is just no excuse for the good ol' Blackhawks. Aw shucks/Gee Whiz!" I've said several times that the Kings were the better team in the series and, at least I felt, handled the Blackhawks losing with a pretty solid amount of grace considering my usual hate.

But good lord just take the win and move on before you start looking like an assbag. The Blackhawks went the distance last season and had little offseason rest. The Blackhawks had a ton of olympians. The Blackhawks played a brutal series against the Blues and a brutal series against the Wild. Tons of overtime, tons of nasty physical play (which is in every series but the Blues/Wild are more renowned for it than others. Certainly more than the Sharks and Ducks.

So they were exhausted, just like every other goddamn team that makes it to the conference finals. It is a legitimate excuse, but it's one of many reasons that they fell short to the Kings. It took the lucky bounces, just like...every other goddamn team that makes it to the conference finals.

I dunno. The Kings won clean. There's no shame in losing that way. Just quit trying to make me bend the knee, you bunch of victorious pricks.

[charger77]

So it is shield logo vs shield logo for the Cup?

[HedleyLamarr]

What's the reason why NBC isn't doing all seven games?

I can't recall the national broadcasting partner ever doing every game. ESPN broadcast four of the potential seven games under the Fox deal '95-'98, and ESPN and OLN/Versus/NBCSN have broadcast two of the seven Finals games since then as well. I'm guessing it was the same arrangement with ESPN and ABC in the early '90s as it was in the '00s. Why is this standard practice? Beats me, but after ~25 years of this, it's probably not changing any time soon.

The difference between then and now is that NBC has no one to share the games with. ESPN/Fox and OLN-Versus/NBC had separate deals with the NHL, and ESPN/ABC weren't as connected as they are now (as in, ABC isn't "ESPN on ABC").

Now I know the ratings tumble the NHL creates for NBC, but can't "America's Got Talent" and "The Voice" take a week or two off?

[infrared41]

What's the reason why NBC isn't doing all seven games?

I can't recall the national broadcasting partner ever doing every game. ESPN broadcast four of the potential seven games under the Fox deal '95-'98, and ESPN and OLN/Versus/NBCSN have broadcast two of the seven Finals games since then as well. I'm guessing it was the same arrangement with ESPN and ABC in the early '90s as it was in the '00s. Why is this standard practice? Beats me, but after ~25 years of this, it's probably not changing any time soon.

The difference between then and now is that NBC has no one to share the games with. ESPN/Fox and OLN-Versus/NBC had separate deals with the NHL, and ESPN/ABC weren't as connected as they are now (as in, ABC isn't "ESPN on ABC").

Now I know the ratings tumble the NHL creates for NBC, but can't "America's Got Talent" and "The Voice" take a week or two off?

Or a century or two?

[Magnus]

So what do we all think the TV viewership numbers are going to be like for the Finals, considering the two largest TV markets are involved? I would think this is a dream matchup in Bettman's eyes.

[HedleyLamarr]

Don't care. TV viewership doesn't affect the games being played.

[Sport]

This has been my desktop background since the playoffs started. Thought I'd share.

[rams80]

But apparently, they reverted back to the stupid consequence they wanted to avoid when switching the broadcast order of last year. OITGDNHL.

Or they originally had the same construct but changed it because having a Triple Crown Belmont leading into the Stanley Cup Final is likely going to help ratings, but that would destroy your narrative so lets just ignore that.

It's going to end the same way the plethora of other triple crown contenders have ended, by falling short at Belmont. That hype machine's pretty much dead.

[Unocal]

So it is shield logo vs shield logo for the Cup?

BELIEVE IN THE SHIELD

[hbgoo1975]

I think the Rangers might win the cup, but if the Kings pull a 2012, then they deserve it.

[waltere]

So it is shield logo vs shield logo for the Cup?

BELIEVE IN THE SHIELD

This joke came a day too late

[oddball]

...and the Blackhawks weren't even that good this year. Regular season and playoffs. If they can half ass games with a lukewarm bench and mercurial goalie and still make a great team need 7 games to deny them a cup defense, then yeah. It's scary.

Please.

The Blackhawks were scary as always, they just lost fair and square.

I'm not sure when I ever said anywhere that the Blackhawks were cheated, but thanks for putting words in my mouth. All I was implying was that this was a haphazard, exhausted team that wasn't properly replenished after a very short offseason yet still, thanks to the magical powers of their stars found a way to come back from 3-1 in a series where they were overmatched.

But yeah, the refs screwed them or something, blah blah. Doofus.

While I will agree with you that the 'Hawks had a short off season, please don't use the excuse that they were tired. The Kings have played the most playoff games over the past three years, so that makes the idea moot. You get to Game 7 of overtime of the conference finals, it's not who's got more energy, it's who's going to get the lucky break. The Kings got it. This was a series of two teams going blow to blow and never backing down. It was probably an awesome game to watch. I didn't watch it because I had something planned for that night, so I went out and did it just like I did for Game 4 of the first round, Game 7 of the first round, and Game 7 of the second round. I wasn't about to change, but I will say that seeing a 3-2 score after one concerned me. I don't know how many games the Kings have one after giving up three goals in the first round over the past three years, but it's probably less than 10. Having the fortitude to get it to overtime, says a lot about them. And yes, I will say, the got friggin' lucky to win the game. I'll take it. I will give credit to the 'Hawks, they're one hell of a team and keep coming. And when you start hating players because they just keep coming (Toews and Kane), that's when it becomes fun. And I didn't hate them before, and I don't know, I just hated that they are friggin' battlers and never give up! I look forward to next year and the conference finals between these two. It's gonna be fun. The thing that impressed me about this series, was it was hard and not chippy. It's the way hockey supposed to be played.

Yeah, listen - I'm not trying to make excuses for them. They lost. That's fine, but you guys seemed convinced to put me in my place or something. If you want me to sit here and go "Those Kings sure beat the out of my favorite team in every regard and by golly there is just no excuse for the good ol' Blackhawks. Aw shucks/Gee Whiz!" I've said several times that the Kings were the better team in the series and, at least I felt, handled the Blackhawks losing with a pretty solid amount of grace considering my usual hate.

But good lord just take the win and move on before you start looking like an assbag. The Blackhawks went the distance last season and had little offseason rest. The Blackhawks had a ton of olympians. The Blackhawks played a brutal series against the Blues and a brutal series against the Wild. Tons of overtime, tons of nasty physical play (which is in every series but the Blues/Wild are more renowned for it than others. Certainly more than the Sharks and Ducks.

So they were exhausted, just like every other goddamn team that makes it to the conference finals. It is a legitimate excuse, but it's one of many reasons that they fell short to the Kings. It took the lucky bounces, just like...every other goddamn team that makes it to the conference finals.

I dunno. The Kings won clean. There's no shame in losing that way. Just quit trying to make me bend the knee, you bunch of victorious pricks.

Where have I tried to "put you in your place"? If the other guys are being jerks, then that's them, but in no means did the Kings "own" the Blackhawks. I respect you, I respect the Blackhawks. Again, they got lucky. There is no way they should've won game 7 in Chicago, especially after falling behind by two goals and giving up 3 in the first period. Logic says if you're up 3-1 lose the next two and go into the other team's building, you aren't going to win. This team just likes doing things the hard way. My prediction, Kings win in 7 (7-6) in quadruple overtime after going down by two goals in each period! Why not? Why not play 28 games in the playoffs. They bring a whole new meaning to Just Do It.

[HedleyLamarr]

The MVP for the conference finals is Kenny Albert. Dude called all 13 games this round (6 on the Rangers radio network, 7 for NBC).

Did something happen to Dave Strader?

I wonder if NBC is grooming Albert to be Doc's successor, perhaps? I too was surprised by the absence of Strader, and not entirely pleased by it because, frankly, Strader is the best national announcer we're going to get in the deep playoff rounds in the U.S., IMO.

But, back to your post, Kenny Albert is going to fly back home tonight and probably sleep for a good 20 hours or so because he must be gassed after all of this.

Maybe Kenny Albert put a tire iron in these guys' knees....he's calling Game 1 for NBC.

Not a big fan of Marv Jr, but he's a little more tolerable than Captain Skittered.

[dbadefense1990]

The MVP for the conference finals is Kenny Albert. Dude called all 13 games this round (6 on the Rangers radio network, 7 for NBC).

Did something happen to Dave Strader?

I wonder if NBC is grooming Albert to be Doc's successor, perhaps? I too was surprised by the absence of Strader, and not entirely pleased by it because, frankly, Strader is the best national announcer we're going to get in the deep playoff rounds in the U.S., IMO.

But, back to your post, Kenny Albert is going to fly back home tonight and probably sleep for a good 20 hours or so because he must be gassed after all of this.

Maybe Kenny Albert put a tire iron in these guys' knees....he's calling Game 1 for NBC.

Not a big fan of Marv Jr, but he's a little more tolerable than Captain Skittered.

Emrick isn't doing Game 1 because of a family tragedy, so Kenny is calling tonight's game in the meantime.

Meanwhile...

Here are my 1st-round pics, in bold:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

---Atlantic

In 7...#1. Boston vs. #4. Detroit

In 7...#2. Tampa Bay vs. #3. Montreal

---Metropolitan

In 7...#1. Pittsburgh vs. #4 Columbus

In 6...#2. NY Rangers vs. #3. Philadelphia

--------------------------------------------------

WESTERN CONFERENCE

---Central

In 5...#1. Colorado vs. #4 Minnesota

In 6...#2. St. Louis vs. #3. Chicago

---Pacific

In 6...#1. Anaheim vs. #4. Dallas

In 6...#2. San Jose vs. #3. Los Angeles

Here are my semifinal pics, in bold:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

---Atlantic

In 7...#1. Boston vs. #3. Montreal

---Metropolitan

In 6...#1. Pittsburgh vs. #2. NY Rangers

--------------------------------------------------------------

WESTERN CONFERENCE

---Central

In 6...#3. Chicago vs. #4. Minnesota

---Pacific

In 7...#1. Anaheim vs. #3. Los Angeles

Here are my conference winners, in bold:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

In 7...M#2. NY Rangers vs. A#3. Montreal

-------------------------------------------------------------

WESTERN CONFERENCE

In 7...P#3. Los Angeles vs. C#3. Chicago

My Cup Final pic is in bold:

In 7...East Champion M#2. NY Rangers vs. West Champion P#3. Los Angeles

Good luck to all in this championship series!

[Still MIGHTY]

I would note, dbadefense, that you picked against the Rangers in every single series and they've gone on to win.

Just to put a little shiver in your doomsday boots

[The Six]

You can't stop a Dynasty in the making. We are all witnesses.

[zpqmaowl]

He's faking it.

[Cosmic]

I can't believe this hasn't been posted at least three times per page... I'm disappointed in you guys.