The Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights just finished a hard-fought Game 6. It was a do-or-die game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Oilers, but many fans were simply asleep.
The NHL and ESPN are under fire from hockey fans over the start time of Sunday's game. The game was scheduled to start at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. However, it actually began on ESPN2 because ESPN broadcast the final innings of a 9-1 St. Louis Cardinals victory on Sunday Night Baseball.
Hockey fans flocked to social media to share their frustration over this decision, especially given the game features the best of the best in the game, namely Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
ESPN choosing a game in May between the Red Sox/Cardinals over a second round NHL playoff game speaks to how the league is viewed relative to its peers. Yikes. Lotta work to do. https://t.co/dEUpz8rQ33
— Rachel Doerrie (@racheldoerrie) May 15, 2023
Of course the baseball game ESPN refused to move to ESPN2 for an NHL playoff hockey game is 9-1 going into the 9th lol.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) May 15, 2023
Signing the deal with ESPN was a disaster. It’s clear they don’t care about the sport
— Landon (@Bozzyy_) May 15, 2023
Just so everyone is aware, ESPN2 aired the Road to the Women's College World Series, Cornhole and X-Games Japan while ESPN aired a 9-1 baseball game. And that baseball game is why this elimination game started on ESPN2.
Make it make sense.
— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) May 15, 2023
NHL – "no way do we want this game on ESPN2"
Game starts on ESPN2 due to blowout baseball game.
— Tony Cordasco (@TonyDasco) May 15, 2023
First, you had the 10:00p ET start-time.
Then, you have the start of the game moved to ESPN2.Tonight is a disaster and will cause whatever trust hockey fans gained in ESPN to go completely away.
— NHL Zone (@Zone_NHL) May 15, 2023
ESPN did air some of the beginning of Game 6. However, it was via a split screen with Sunday Night Baseball. Game 6 began with three goals inside three minutes, causing even more anger to be directed at ESPN.
Fans weren't the only ones to take their shots at ESPN on Sunday night. Calgary Flames defenseman Troy Stecher also had choice words for ESPN over the whole situation as well.
The Oilers took a 2-1 lead into the locker room at the first intermission. In the second period, Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault scored a natural hat trick to give Vegas a 4-2 lead.
Vegas went on to win 5-2, booking its ticket to the Western Conference Finals. It marks the fourth time in the first six years of their existence that the Golden Knights are among the final four teams left in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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