Versus Cut Away From Epic ‘Canes-Devils Finish

Poor decision making by the Versus producers

Now, I don't get Versus with my cable package and maybe that's a good thing since it means I don't have to put up with the network's ongoing shenanigans that is its hockey coverage. Instead, I watch all of non-local hockey hockey action from the safety of my own computer. I choose which games I want to watch and change them as I please. The same cannot be said for the folks watching Versus last night, who may be waking up a little hot under the collar Wednesday morning.

Versus broadcast part of Game 4 between the Hurricanes and Devils on Tuesday night to many households in the US. The key words there are "part of", as in, the network cut away from the game before the 'Canes' epic goal with .02 seconds left on the clock.

George Richards of the Miami Herald is up in arms over what happened.

 

Anyone else had enough of Versus' coverage of the NHL postseason?

How is it that they pull away from a 3-3 game in Carolina to open a game in Anaheim that wasn't going to start for another 30 minutes? How about skipping the exciting finish in Raleigh for yet another viewing of an Esurance commercial we all know by heart?

What was Versus showing? Who cares. It sure wasn't hockey. Heck, they weren't even showing a tied game in St. Louis.

Apparently what happened was that Versus cut away from the closely contested game in Raleigh for a Sharks-Ducks pregame show, which was to be televised on the network after the Hurricanes and Devils. That's right. So more than a few folks watching the Devils and Hurricanes play an exciting third period that came to a thrilling conclusion didn't actually see that conclusion. Instead, they got to hear about the Sharks and Ducks getting ready to take the ice.

This all would have been somewhat understandable if the 'Canes and Devils ran late and Versus decided to join the West coast matchup when it started, but for pregame? (Cue the Jim Mora voice) Pregame? Are you kidding me? PREGAME?!

To Versus' credit, its product has improved since it first started televising NHL games a few years ago and the network has tried to continue to improve it. But it's gaffes like this that continue to set them back and make hockey fans pine for ESPN.

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