The Rangers were on the power play tied at 3 with less than a minute left in regulation
The New York Rangers were on the power play with less than a minute to go in a tied playoff game, then suddenly, ESPN went black.
After a brief pause, hockey was back on the television, but it was not the Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes.
Instead, with the power play still ongoing, ESPN went to the Western Conference playoffs and showed warmups of the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche game.
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Igor Shesterkin, #31 of the New York Rangers, blocks the puck during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 7, 2024 in New York City. (Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
Someone apparently realized the huge error, and the Rangers and Hurricanes were back on rather quickly.
However, it was enough time for hockey fans to go into total panic mode.
Here was the full cut away that aired on ESPN during the 3rd period of the Rangers game.
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 8, 2024
Nearly 15 seconds of game play was missed to go to the Dallas Stars gamepic.twitter.com/9CGMVwxD9K
Here was the full cut away that aired on ESPN during the 3rd period of the Rangers game.
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 8, 2024
Nearly 15 seconds of game play was missed to go to the Dallas Stars gamepic.twitter.com/9CGMVwxD9K
Not only is does espn have the worst hockey announcers i have ever heard by continually getting names wrong and not adding any excitement whatsoever, they just cut out of the rangers canes game with 40 secs left while the rangers were on a power play. Absolutely terrible. @espn
— SAM ROSENS HAIRLINE (@THEROSENLETTUCE) May 8, 2024
I just SCREAMED when my ESPN feed went to Dallas momentarily with the Rangers on the PP with 40 seconds left. pic.twitter.com/gyK5w6ImCs
— Danny Quin (@DQ4YOU) May 8, 2024
DID ESPN JUST SWITCH AWAY FROM THE RANGERS GAME DURING A POWER PLAY IN THE FINAL MINUTE OF A TIE GAME?!?!??!
— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) May 8, 2024
ESPN almost pulled a Heidi Bowl at the end of this Rangers game. Get it together!!!!
— John Jastremski (@john_jastremski) May 8, 2024
Thankfully for all interested, they did not miss much, and the game went into overtime.
However, it was not the last time ESPN made a crucial mistake. In the first overtime period, ESPN showed graphics along the boards that the Hurricanes had scored a game-winning goal despite the shot being saved by Igor Shesterkin, but they were quickly taken off.
Igor Shesterkin, #31 of the New York Rangers, blocks a shot from Seth Jarvis, #24 of the Carolina Hurricanes, during the third period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 7, 2024 in New York City. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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It was the Blueshirts, though, who took a 2-0 series lead after Vincent Trocheck found the back of the net 7:24 into double overtime on the power play.
Alexis Lafreniere scored twice, Chris Kreider also had a power-play goal and Artemi Panarin added three assists for the Rangers, all while Shesterkin stood on his head and stopped a season-high 54 shots.
The Rangers won their sixth straight in the playoffs, and eighth straight dating to the regular season. New York got its first overtime playoff win since Game 7 of the first round in 2022 against Pittsburgh.
New York Rangers players celebrate after winning in the second overtime against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 7, 2024 in New York City. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The series now moves to Carolina, where tickets were only limited for purchase for local residents. Game 3 is on Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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