Playing back-to-back nights during the NHL Finals

This was a small tidbit in today’s morning papers but I feel like it deserves a little bit more exposure:

NBC has released its playoff telecast schedule, and it includes a quirky start for the Stanley Cup Finals. The opener is scheduled for Friday, June 5, with game two the next day.

Read the short story from the Detroit News here.

I don’t understand this at all.  You are asking these players to play 82 games from October through April.  Then play two more full months of playoff action and then expect them to play on back-to-back nights in June? Isn’t that when the NHL is showcasing for the entire world to see its game?  Don’t you think the quality of play would be a lot higher if the players had some rest time?  Doesn’t the NHL want to see the game at its pinnacle?

This decision makes no sense.  If NBC played a role in this decision, it makes even less sense. They don’t even pay for the rights!