We hope that original American Idol judge Randy Jackson won’t mind us adapting one of his most famous critiques with a slight moderation. Regardless, it must be said that ESPN’s coverage of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs series between the Carolina Panthers and New York Rangers was a little glitchy.
With less than a minute to go in the third period and the game tied at 3-3, ESPN’s broadcast switched to Game 2 of the network’s doubleheader, Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinal between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars. The problem? Not only was the game still going but play was active. It took about 17 seconds for the feed to be restored and thankfully, no goals were missed. Still, it was quite the flub.
The game was still tied after three periods. In the first overtime period, we saw another flub. Fortunately, this one was not as bad as the one at the end of regulation, but still plenty notable.
Carolina’s Martin Nečas fired a shot on goal. And while it was a solid attempt, New York goalie Igor Shesterkin made a routine save. But shortly after Shesterkin denied Nečas’ shot, the graphic along the boards quickly changed, saying “Hurricanes win.”
Nice “Hurricanes Win!” board graphic there#CauseChaos | #NYR pic.twitter.com/PFChEwgyqe
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) May 8, 2024
While not as stressful as the earlier glitch, this one would eventually create a “Dewey Defeats Truman” moment as the Rangers went on to win the game in double overtime.
[Photo Credit: ESPN]
