Bettman Hasn’t Lost Patience for Ratings

Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner, clearly did not like a question posed to him about the league’s relatively tiny television ratings. He liked a comparison to the ratings of the late, lamentable XFL even less.

“The XFL’s deciding game did a 1.9 [rating],” Bettman said. “Our deciding game last year did a 4.2. So even on that standard, the comparison isn’t accurate.”

Although he would like them to be higher, Bettman said he isn’t disappointed that the NHL’s TV ratings lag behind those for the NFL, NBA and major league baseball.

“We are still a work in progress,” he admitted. “But in terms of the exposure, which is really what we have been trying to build, I think we have done quite well.”

How unlikely a hero was New Jersey center Bob Corkum, whose first-period goal propelled the Devils to a 2-1 victory Tuesday in Game 2? Well, let’s just say it was his first visit to the Stanley Cup finals interview room and the formal postgame news conference.

Corkum, visibly nervous on the dais, answered one question after another in rapid-fire fashion. Finally, a reporter asked a question of goaltender Martin Brodeur, who was seated beside Corkum.

When Corkum began to answer, Brodeur interrupted him.

“Uh, I think that one was for me,” Brodeur said as politely as possible.

“Oh,” Corkum said, turning red in the cheeks.

Brodeur took a good deal of heat for giving up five goals on 30 shots in Game 1. But he was unfazed by the criticism, mainly because he said he was unaware of it.

“You know, I didn’t read anything,” he said after rebounding to hold the Colorado Avalanche to one goal on 20 shots in Game 2. “I didn’t watch the TV because I didn’t want to hear about it. I just wanted to focus on playing well. We worked really hard all year and didn’t want to lose a game like that, the way we did in Game 1. So, I wanted to make sure I gave the team the opportunity to come up big. And we did.”

TV cameras appeared to catch New Jersey defenseman Scott Stevens spitting into the Avalanche bench during a heated moment midway through Game 2.

It only looked like Stevens had spit, however. Stevens said he was merely carrying on a running debate with Colorado defenseman Adam Foote.

Avalanche forwards Joe Sakic and Dave Reid each chalked it up to a bad camera angle.

After a day of cross-country travel, neither team practiced Wednesday.

“I think we need to rest, regroup and refuel,” said Colorado Coach Bob Hartley, who could have been speaking for both teams.