I just learned this afternoon that the NHL has screwed me and half of Chicago’s suburbs over by giving Versus exclusive broadcasting rights to tonight’s playoff game between the Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks. This is also the case for Game 4 next week. To add insult to injury, a girl who answered the phone at the Blackhawks’ front office told me these are the only two “exclusive” games Versus has for the second round of the playoffs.

I called my cable provider, Wide Open West, and was directed to their page to submit a channel request. My customer service representative was very helpful and told me that the more people who submit a channel request, the better the chances are. You don’t have to sign up for anything or confirm via e-mail, so feel free to enter a fake e-mail address if you don’t want WOW contacting you. Please request Versus and mention that Comcast cable carries it on the “Channel(s) You Are Requesting” line.

Also, please call the NHL at 212-789-2000 and tell them how these exclusive broadcasting rights have alienated countless Blackhawks fans for two away playoff games simply because of our cable provider.

Tell them about how us Blackhawks fans suffered years of torment under the iron fist of Bill Wirtz, who blacked out home game broadcasts for decades and nearly killed the franchise. And now that they’re in the second round for the first time in more than a decade, the NHL and Versus have screwed many loyal Blackhawks fans out of two away games in this series.

Haven’t we suffered enough?