Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals was an example of hockey at it's finest. Great back and forth action, exciting scoring chances and great work in goal at both ends of the ice.
Now the NHL in it's infinite wisdom, or lack thereof, gives us a two day layoff. I presume this is to get a primetime shot on NBC on Saturday night and bump up the already enhanced viewing numbers for the series thus far. Let's hope that gamble works and viewership of the league in general is enhanced. The league needs this series to be heavily viewed so that they can get a better TV contract when the current one expires. Hockey is a tremendous game, and it has always mystified me as to why it doesn't enjoy better fan support and respect in the media than it does.
Hockey coverage is often relegated to the back pages of most sports sections in papers, and actually sneered at in local TV news segments and on radio. All this while football, basketball , and God help us (yawn) baseball are fawned on. Golf and tennis garner more respect than hockey, and I won't touch on the endlessly annoying coverage of NASCAR ( I did kind of touch it there didn't I, that's gonna leave a stain)
A fast moving game with plenty of hitting should be right up America's alley, yet often there is just passing interest. More people should open their minds to this great game and give it a chance. The league has taken steps to make it's product fan friendly, and for the most part ticket prices for games aren't completely heinous. That may change somewhat as we have to pay the cost of free agency, but we'll see. Anyway, tune in Saturday night and watch the Penguins and Red Wings, in what surely should be a highly entertaining contest. Give the game a chance, you'll probably find you like it.
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