Coffee sales must be booming this week in Chicago and St. Louis.
The Blackhawks and Blues have played five games so far in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series, and three of those did not start until after 8:30 p.m. local time, including Game 5 on Thursday night.
Pat Foley, the Blackhawks’ play-by-play announcer for Comcast SportsNet Chicago, evidently is not too fond of these unusually late start times.
“This is the third time in five games that a start time of 8:42 (p.m.) local was mandated,” Foley said on air midway through the third period of Game 5. “I can say with certainty, players cannot stand these late starts, coaches cannot stand them, and most importantly, the fans can’t stand them.”
Here’s Foley’s full rant, the end of which was cut off by a commercial break on the national broadcast:
Thursday’s game did not reach its conclusion until early Friday morning. St. Louis scored twice in the third period to force overtime, and neither team found the back of the net again until Chicago’s Patrick Kane scored the game-winner three minutes into the second 20-minute overtime session.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, however, does not view these late starts as a negative, telling reporters Friday that Foley “didn’t have his facts straight.”
“He was off the mark,” Bettman said, via the Chicago Tribune. “Clubs are fine with the start times, and you can ask the Blackhawks.”
Barring another few overtimes, Saturday should be an earlier night for Hawks and Blues fans. Game 6 at the United Center is set to begin at 7 p.m. local time (8 p.m. ET).
Thumbnail photo via Billy Hurst/USA TODAY Sports Images
