Hockey fans say: Versus? Foiled again!

Call it synergy or call it dumping, but NBC may have stumbled upon a strategy to pawn off ratings losers. Send them to Versus.

That worked fine Saturday, when NBC ditched the overtime portion of the NHL playoff game between the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators by shipping it to the less-available Versus.

While hockey fans screamed “Holy Heidi,” NBC rushed to show the Preakness Stakes. Well, not the race, just the pre-race show that featured the opinions of every horse talker short of Mr. Ed.

“NBC was obligated to provide its traditional coverage of the Preakness,” NBC spokesman Brian Walker told the Toronto Star -- a tradition, it might be noted, that has been on NBC only since 2000.

Still, the light bulbs (not the goal lights) may click on at NBC. “Dateline NBC” sinking in the Nielsens? Slip it between bull riding and “Fishing With Roland Martin” on Versus.

Trivia time

What team has appeared in the most NHL conference finals in the last five years?

Lucky Duckies?

NBC’s Brett Hull, seemingly on a quest to be the NHL version of Charles Barkley, called Sunday’s game between the Ducks and Detroit Red Wings a draw.

Dominating (Red Wings) 3, Lucky (Ducks) 3. Or so went his postgame shtick after the Ducks pulled off a 2-1 overtime victory.

“I guess I would rather be lucky than good or whatever ... they [the Ducks] were dominated,” said the ever-articulate Hull, who emphasized the two words twice more before predicting, “I think Detroit is going to win in seven.”

Ah, but the real lucky ones? Likely those without Versus who missed whatever Hull had to say after the Ottawa-Buffalo game.

Finger pointing

Players, it seems, do not settle NHL playoff games anymore.

The media got the Ducks’ Chris Pronger suspended for his Game 3 assault on the Red Wings’ Tomas Holmstrom -- at least according to Pronger.

Now referees have robbed the Red Wings, according to a headline in the Detroit Free Press -- “Bad call: NHL should be embarrassed by Datsyuk’s late-game penalty.” The interference call on Pavel Datsyuk in the final minutes of Game 5 led to that Free Press column, which included the words “ridiculous,” “stupid” and the ever-popular “moronic.”

Still, hard to blame Detroit hockey writers for the teeth gnashing. One more Red Wings loss and they will spend the next few weeks in (gulp) Detroit -- quick, someone get me a Pistons credential!

Carpet baggers

The Senators are the latest among a handful of teams to defiantly say “don’t tread on me,” having instituted an edict preventing anyone from walking on the team’s logo in the dressing room. The Tampa Bay Lightning did the same during its 2003-04 Stanley Cup run.

The Kings have the same logo rule in their dressing room, though they have been less successful in keeping teams from walking all over them.

Ah, but who’s counting?

The Detroit Free Press continued its “Wins Needed” feature -- the number of victories the Red Wings need to get their 11th Stanley Cup. Answer: six.

Meanwhile, in another countdown ... “Losses Needed” for the Red Wings to hit the links? Answer: one.

Trivia answer

Sorry, Hockeytown, that would be the Ducks with three.

And finally

Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek, bemoaning the two goals he gave up Sunday, told the Detroit News, “Those were fluky goals in the end.”

Briefing is confused. How much are those goals worth again? Half a point?

chris.foster@latimes.com