Devils won't play on NBC Sunday afternoon

Although the start time for Game 6 on Sunday in Carolina has not been announced yet, according to the broadcast schedule just released, it won't be televised on NBC regardless of the outcome of tonight's game between the Rangers and Capitals.

In promoting a possible Game 6 between the Rangers and Capitals at 2 p.m. Sunday, NBC stated in an e-mail press release today that if there is no Game 6 in that series Sunday, "the Jeep World of Adventure will air from 3-4 p.m. ET and the National Heads-Up Poker Championship from 4-6 p.m. ET."

What this means as far as when the Devils and Hurricanes will play, I'm not sure. I have a feeling that it might mean the Devils and Hurricanes will still play an afternoon game on Sunday even though it won't be on NBC if the Rangers win tonight. They can't play before 5 p.m. on Sunday, however, if there is a Capitals-Rangers Game 6 because NBC has exclusive window beginning at 2 p.m.

Devils coach Brent Sutter said on a conference call this morning that he has not been told anything about when the game might start.

Comments

[Tommy.]

What a joke. This has been the most entertaining series thus far in the postseason and go figure the NHL is ignoring it.

[devilstown]

Who cares NBC's broadcast is a joke, (for reasons previously discussed, not DOC of course) CONGRATULATIONS to ZACH PARISE on his LADY BING nomination, well deserved, hopefully he makes the HART LIST TOO !

[Ben M.]

Since they had hockey scheduled at that time slot on NBC, it only makes sense to not cover the Devils if the Rangers advance, and air the Jeep World of Adventure

[Steve Lepore]

VERSUS has IndyCar at 4PM, Tom, so the game would either start at 1PM or 7:30 OM.

[Scratch-?-]

Jeep world of adventure? what the heck is that??
NBCrap

[RickyM2]

I cant blame NBC for choosing the bigger market games. But c'mon!! they're gunna insult us by showing a bunch of jeeps riding in the dirt??? Whats this world coming to?

[Josh]

I'm glad it's not on NBC. I'd rather have Doc & Chico. I'd rather not get then national broadcast by process of elimination (oh we have nobody else to show, I guess we can show the Devils/Canes game...).

[Young Gulittistein......Pearl Jammed]

what a joke..... what are they going to show? Street Luge? perhaps Watermelon tossing competitions? How about one of those AWESOME lumberjack competitions(ok i admit it i think the dogs jumping after the sticks is pretty entertaining cause those pups can EXTEND!) nothing like watching the brawny papertowel guy and his cousin/wife race to see who can take down a tree faster..... i thought that NBC committed to showing the NHL... why can't they be happy with the match up?

[m in pdx]

Oh, thank god. There will be enough chances to watch the brutal NBC (and Versus) coverage if the Devils make it past Carolina.

The only way NBC is tolerable is if it's one of Doc's nights to work for them, and even then you have to ignore whatever idiot is doing color for him.

[DevsFaninTX]

Out of curiosity, is there any kind of ranking as far as the hockey markets go? I don't mind NBC not showing the game, their coverage is probably going to suck, and its going to make it that much sweeter when they are forced to show the Devils in the Finals :)

[keith]

good! I HATE afternoon games in spring time. Does the NHL not get it? People have families and other responsibilities on weekend afternoons. Little League, mowing the lawn. We're coming up on Communions for catholic kids, I have 2 to go to in a few weeks. When the weather is so nice out on a weekend, who wants to watch a hockey game on tv other than the hockey fans already. Even then, I can't always watch. I'd make time for the Devils, but if it's Philly or Pit or the Rangers, I'm not going to give up family or outside activities for that.

[Mike]

NBC is going to get HORRIBLE ratings no matter what they put on Sunday. The temperature is supposed to hit near 90 degrees making this the first really awesome weekend of 2009. No one in his or her right mind will be sitting inside on a day like that.... EXCEPT THE DEVILS LEGION!!!! LOL
LETS GO DEVILS!!!!!

[Dick Dastardly]

Slap in the face to all hockey fans in the US. "If we can't have the Rangers game, we're taking our marbles and going home"??? This has been the hardest hitting, most competitive series in the East. NBC isn't sticking to the Devils and the 'Canes - they're sticking it to the fans of great hockey.

[pando20rules]

i wish the NHL and NBC would get it. But, wasting anytime waiting for the impossible is simply a waste of time.

The NHL hasn't gotten it for years, why would they start to now?

[pando20rules]

for whatever its worth, TSN is reporting the game is 7:30

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?id=11797

[Zorin]

Like the weekend when the SJ and NJD played in that crazy, wild west shootout win (YaY Devils, 8-6 I believe?). Instead of showing that game, two of the top teams in the league, they instead showed a defeated Ranger team play the Flyers. NBC = Never Been Correct.

[pando20rules]

Zorin,

Actually the score of that game was 6-5. It will also go down as my son's first game (he was 13 1/2 months at the time)

[Will in Wanker County, WI (Lincoln County, ME)]

typical NBC. sigh... so the game will be on Versus regardless, way to fail NHL and NBC (and my cable company). I think I will get a Dish this summer, so I can at least get Versus for the 7 games that the Devils get aired.

[SS]

i think we won that game 5-4 but i may be mistaken. was a great one tho

[Scott E]

So does this mean, if the Rangers/Caps series doesn't last 'til Sunday, that Mike Emrick will be around to call the Devils game? (assuming he's penned to call the NBC game now)

The ultimate insult would be if he calls the game for Versus, which is blacked out locally.

[pando20rules]

6-5 SS...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/boxscore;_ylt=AoJpn6__0LjVleS7dfw7clIsvLYF?gid=2009021511

[Tommy.]

I wish I could still get the MSG plus coverage on sunday. Nothing beats it. I have center ice because I live in South Jersey and get all the philly coverage. Gross. I hate Versus.

[JJ]

Meh, who cares? I just want to know the d@mn start time already I'm trying to plan my day out!

You can't blame the league for this decision. To NBC it's all about $$$'s so having two terrible markets in terms of TV ratings for hockey. NBC Execs to Bettman: "Tell Lou it was only business, I always liked him."

[slammer]

How come when the Rangers games were on VS this round, it got blacked out on VS and was shown on MSG, but they won't do that for the Devs? What a joke media coverage has become, this series has two of the best goalies in the league, four extremly tight games, including two OT thrillers, a fair bit of controversy, and NBC doesn't want to air it because casual fans still think the "boring Devils" play the trap and there shouldn't be hockey in Carolina.

And because of that, people will be blacked out from seeing the game (but if it was that crappy blueshirted team on the other side of the river, then the league would allow two channels to air the game so that it wasn't blacked out).

It makes my blood boil.

[Ben M.]

is it actually on versus for national coverage, will it be blacked out for the local market if also on MSG(minus)?

I still cant get msg in HD and i miss it.. only downside to FIOS