When was the last time such scheduling occurred?

According to the Sporting News, it's been more than 50 years — an era when television was in its Stone Age and cable was something used to securely bind huge packages.

The reason for such a bewildering, somewhat stupid, schedule is, of course, television.

And television competition.

In order to get its first two games on NBC, the NHL had to guarantee the network those games would be played on weekend nights, rather than in the weeknight prime time schedule.

For example, a Monday game tonight was a no-no for NBC since Conan O'Brien makes his widely publicized debut as "The Tonight Show" host, beginning at 11:35 p.m. EDT.

An overtime game, starting at 8 p.m. EDT, could raise havoc with the network's late-night schedule and its affiliates' local news programming in heavily populated Eastern TV markets.

The NHL has to bend over backward to accommodate NBC because the network doesn't pay a rights fee to the league. The two share profits — and losses.

Also, NBC wanted to avoid competing, whenever possible, with the NBA's popular conference finals.

But the competition was there Saturday night.

More than 4.5 million viewers saw NBC's hockey playoff — the top-rated programming on network television.

But TNT's cable coverage of Orlando's win over Cleveland was viewed by 8.3 million.

NBC contended that having two proven powerhouse teams quickly going at one another might produce interest in casual hockey fans.

However, numerous hockey purists complained that such intense, back-to-back scheduling wasn't fair to Detroit and Pittsburgh players, who already had survived tough playoff rounds.

In short, there's a fear fans wouldn't see the teams at their best throughout the series.

Several media outlets in Pittsburgh complained that such tight scheduling unfairly tipped the advantage to Detroit, because of the Red Wings' presumed superior bench strength.

Game 3 in Pittsburgh will be aired Tuesday on Versus.

Three games in four nights — that's a schedule any NHL team would dread in the crucial days of the regular season, let alone during the seven-game Stanley Cup.

Game 4, also in Pittsburgh on Thursday, will be carried by Versus. NBC will air any remaining games.