According to sources Datsyuk will definitely return to the line-up for Game 5 in Detroit on Saturday night. Big News.

Also. On the Game 6 Controversy involving the Big Screen outside of the Mellon Arena. These playoffs an AMAZING crowd has been assembling outside the Mellon Arena. It may be the greatest outdoor hockey celebration in US NHL History.

Well, Thursday night over 8,000 people congregated outside to watch the Penguins win. Families with kids, college students, friends...Just an outstanding display. No Alcohol. No violence.

This screen has been up for every game this playoffs on Versus, and Thursday night was by far the biggest and greatest event to date.

The screen came down because word had it that NBC would not allow the screen. They wanted people to watch from home to help the ratings. The same ratings that have been through the roof in these playoffs. In Pittsburgh a 48 share! 1 out of every 2 TVs. That is amazing and the shortsightedness on display to not have this outdoor party before Game 6 is baffling.

In a loooong quest I contacted everyone I knew at NBC looking for answers and through various connections finally got answers from Brian Walker at NBC/Universal, who emailed me....to my amazement:

"This is an NHL Policy. I would check with the league. I can't speak for the NHL so you'll have to check with them but my understanding is the league communicated this policy to the clubs for games on broadcast television prior to the start of the playoffs."

So Ok...I checked and got back the following email:

"Of course it is NBC's call."

and then later

"If it's the NHL's policy, why did Versus do it Tuesday and Thursday. Ridiculous."

So I went back to Brian and told him that NBC had a golden opportunity here to thank the NHL fans for these superb ratings and bring back the screen. I told him I would give him two days of advertising for free Hockeybuzz.com to thank the fans.

Now I get word that they are reconsidering and I am pretty confident that this misunderstanding could turn into a HUGE PR win for NBC who I feel will do the right thing...

I am getting that impression.

After all, as I said in an email to NBC earlier today:

"What is being reported is that NBC wants those 8,000 people watching their TVs at home despite the fact that Pittsburgh has a 48 share! What would look better than to show those 8-10k people outside on NBC as they watch a GIANT screen broadcasting NBC to them. I know the argument that the NHL only has the 20k fans in the arena. Let's show the world otherwise"

more on this in the AM

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