NHL 101: ESPN2 EDUCATES VIEWERS WITH "NHL RULES!" BROADCAST

          ESPN and the NHL presented its "NHL RULES!" during last
     night's Avalanche-Blackhawks game on ESPN2, and in IL, Tim
     Cronin writes that the network covered the game as a rules
     "seminar more than anything, and did so successfully." 
     Viewers received an "education," as analysts Darren Pang and
     Bill Clement "carried the tune without a play-by-play man,
     freeing them to get into the nuances of the game."  Cronin:
     "Visually, the game was also covered differently, with
     ESPN2's lead camera shooting wider than normal in order to
     show more than just the puck."  Fifteen cameras were used in
     all and "special graphics used VH1 'pop-up' style explained
     rules and strategy clearly."  ESPN also "stayed with replays
     longer than usual, sometimes over live action, to illustrate
     more clearly things that often go unexplained" (DAILY
     SOUTHTOWN, 1/10).