Oilers fans blast NHL after sc...

Some Edmonton Oilers supporters are feeling the financial pain from the latest NHL act of hilarity.

All eyes turned to the Round 2 schedule after the New Jersey Devils' Game 7 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday night brought the Stanley Cup playoffs' first round to a close. Traveling supporters hoping to catch their team on the road started purchasing game tickets, as well as making travel and lodging arrangements.

The NHL announced a schedule for the first two games of each series after the first round on Monday night, however the times and broadcast details for Friday's games between Edmonton and Vegas and New Jersey and Carolina are still to be finalized.

The much-anticipated Edmonton-Vegas series' Game 2 was moved to Saturday at 5 p.m. local time. Many fans who were either already on their way to Vegas or who had travel and accommodations reserved for Game 2 were forced to scramble to change their plans as a result of the sudden last-minute changes, with many claiming to be out hundreds or even thousands of dollars after cancelling or rebooking things on such short notice.

Why did the NHL reschedule Game 2 between Oilers and Golden Knights?

Although the NHL never provided an explanation for the change, it becomes clearer when you consider how the other series were scheduled. And as usual, the Toronto Maple Leafs—or at the very least, their opponent in the second round—may be on the receiving end of this.

According to George Richards of Florida Hockey Now, it appears the league switched the Panthers' home game (Game 3) from Saturday to Sunday in order to avoid it clashing with the Miami Heat's home game. The Oilers game was subsequently shifted to Saturday, making it the only NHL game on the schedule that evening. This filled the enormous gap that was left on Hockey Night in Canada.

Oilers fans frustrated with last-minute change

Whatever the rationale for the last-minute alterations to the second-round schedule, many angry Oilers supporters vented their resentment with the league on social media and in interviews with local and national media.

Kevin North, an Edmonton supporter whose trip arrangements were thrown into a pricey spiral, was contacted by Yahoo Sports. North detailed the tumultuous few hours that followed Tuesday's scheduling announcement, a situation that many visiting Oilers fans flying into Sin City for the second-round matchup between the top two teams in the Pacific Division also encountered.

By now, it should be clear that TV networks and a select few owners run the show, with viewers frequently taking a backseat to that sweet, sweet cash. However, this latest stunt from Gary Bettman and company — and the apparent lack of empathy toward your fanbase that led to these scheduling decisions — appears to be alienating fans in Edmonton and beyond on a completely new level.

It's almost remarkable how this league constantly coming up with new ways to alienate the audience that pays the bills, from taking a lifetime to figure out a best-on-best tournament to the NHL's disastrous digital board ads.

This extends beyond the game we all love, though, as the forced rescheduling of a Disturbed concert as a result of the last-minute alterations to the Edmonton-Vegas playoff schedule may be the most aggravating aspect of it all.