ESPN has come under huge fire from NHL fans after missing out on the thrilling opening three minutes between the Edmonton Oilers and the Vegas Golden Knights in their Western Conference semi-final clash on Sunday.ESPN had two games scheduled to cover on Sunday, the first one was the baseball clash between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox. While the second coverage on the schedule was Game 6 of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Edmonton Oilers and the Vegas Golden Knights.The two events were scheduled to kick off three hours apart, and there was a belief that the baseball game would come to an end by the time the Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights game started. However, everything went against ESPN.The baseball game was a blowout with the St. Louis Cardinals completely dominating the contest and defeating the Boston Red Sox with a huge 9-1 scoreline. Despite the one-sided results, ESPN sticked with the baseball game on its main channel and shifted the Stanley Cup game to ESPN 2.However, everything went against ESPN in the process, as they went on to miss the intense and thrilling first three minutes of action from Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights, which had three goals coming in quick succession.The NHL fans were outraged with ESPN and took to Twitter to lambast them.Calgary Flames' Troy Stecher said:"ESPN. Missed three goals in the opening three minutes of an elimination NHL playoff game because we had to finish out a 9-1 MLB blowout. #GrowTheGame"Troy Stecher@troystecher🏼 ESPN. Missed three goals in the opening three minutes of an elimination NHL playoff game because we had to finish out a 9-1 MLB blowout. #GrowTheGame6687929👏🏼 ESPN. Missed three goals in the opening three minutes of an elimination NHL playoff game because we had to finish out a 9-1 MLB blowout. #GrowTheGameHere are some of the other reactions:Kyle Fortch@Kfortch@troystecher ESPN was the worst deal the NHL ever made1956@troystecher ESPN was the worst deal the NHL ever madeRenegade🐺🇺🇸@Renegade_Deke@troystecher Because it was the Red Sox.. ESPN has a hardon for them.. and the Yankees of course.15@troystecher Because it was the Red Sox.. ESPN has a hardon for them.. and the Yankees of course.Zach Schaefer@kebzach@troystecher Ah yes ESPN should have broken the protocol of staying with a game in progress to its conclusion because please please please like my hockey sport.4@troystecher Ah yes ESPN should have broken the protocol of staying with a game in progress to its conclusion because please please please like my hockey sport.James Hughes@James_H630@troystecher This might be the mail in the coffin for Bettman and Daly. TV deals are probably the most important revenue source for the league and the fact the biggest US sports network clearly cares more about baseball speaks volumes. The 32 owners must be strongly considering a change.5@troystecher This might be the mail in the coffin for Bettman and Daly. TV deals are probably the most important revenue source for the league and the fact the biggest US sports network clearly cares more about baseball speaks volumes. The 32 owners must be strongly considering a change.Bill Borra@Rngrssuk00@troystecher @AlexC_THW I didn’t miss the NHL on ESPN at all. They are not helping viewership at all.3@troystecher @AlexC_THW I didn’t miss the NHL on ESPN at all. They are not helping viewership at all.Lūīš@gethismija4@troystecher When MLB has a million games to play during the season yet ESPN can’t televise #NHL playoffs when it matters. Yeah, sometimes wonder if ESPN wants to #GrowTheGame@troystecher When MLB has a million games to play during the season yet ESPN can’t televise #NHL playoffs when it matters. Yeah, sometimes wonder if ESPN wants to #GrowTheGameMarcus@antonelli7jr@troystecher @MikeBartner An NHL player finally speaks up about this. Thank you Troy68@troystecher @MikeBartner An NHL player finally speaks up about this. Thank you TroyTom_Metiv@tmetiv@troystecher @SaraCivian And they switched to ESPN without telling ESPN2 viewers. Suddenly skateboarding showed up on my tv.2747@troystecher @SaraCivian And they switched to ESPN without telling ESPN2 viewers. Suddenly skateboarding showed up on my tv.Dev@DevonPtashnik96@troystecher @AdamSkywaIker This is the last time I supported @espn12@troystecher @AdamSkywaIker This is the last time I supported @espn https://t.co/A8h4vlBHAeJustin Nelson@Jnelly087@troystecher Hate to see them move a meaningless May baseball game to ESPN2 and have an elimination game being played at 6PMET… #joke1@troystecher Hate to see them move a meaningless May baseball game to ESPN2 and have an elimination game being played at 6PMET… #jokeCraig Morancie@CraigJetMetFan@troystecher 4:15 to be exact.And not just to see end of the MLB game...we also had to see the post-game commercials. #GrowTheGame #NHL #VGKvsEDM1@troystecher 4:15 to be exact.And not just to see end of the MLB game...we also had to see the post-game commercials. #GrowTheGame #NHL #VGKvsEDMNHL fans have criticized ESPN for its poor coverage of various gamesHowever, this is not the first time that NHL fans have criticized ESPN for its poor hockey coverage. Throughout the 2023 playoffs, there were several games where fans were dissatisfied with ESPN's coverage, and some even criticized them for their lack of knowledge of the sport of hockey.Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden have taken complete charge of the game against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6. At the time of this publication, the Vegas Golden Knights are currently leading the Edmonton Oilers 4-2 with the third period on the play. Jonathan Marchessault scored a hat-trick in Game 6.