NBC was down a tick for its four games from the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs over the weekend, averaging a 1.4 overnight rating vs. a 1.5 rating for three games during the same weekend last year. Blues-Blackhawks Game 6 on Saturday night led the way with a 2.0 overnight, up slightly from a 1.9 for Blackhawks-Predators Game 6 last year. But Penguins-Rangers Game 5 on Saturday afternoon drew a 1.2 overnight, down slightly from a 1.3 for Capitals-Islanders Game 6 last year. Sunday afternoon's Stars-Wild Game 6 drew a 1.2 overnight, down from a 1.4 for Wild-Blues Game 6 last year. There was no comparison for yesterday's Capitals-Flyers Game 6 (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
TURN BACK THE CLOCK: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Friday said CSN Chicago's Pat Foley "didn't have his facts straight" when he criticized the late starts of playoff games. Bettman said, "He was off the mark. Clubs are fine with the start times, and you can ask the Blackhawks." Bettman also said that Blackhawks President & CEO John McDonough "called him Friday morning." Bettman: "He was not happy with what was said" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/23). In Chicago, Rick Morrissey writes all Foley was saying the other night is that the NHL "doesn't care" about the fan. Morrissey: "Judging by the NHL’s response to his on-air sermon, you would have thought he had said ice contained carcinogens." If McDonough did call Bettman to apologize for Foley's Game 5 comments, "shame on McDonough." He "did not have the best interests of the team’s fan base in mind," and Foley "deserved better from his employer" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 4/25).
