DALLAS — Different round, same problem.
Coverage for the Dallas Stars playoff game against the Seattle Kraken will begin on ESPN at 8:30 p.m., which means the puck likely won't drop until closer to 8:50 p.m., if the first round was any indication.
So you've probably asked the question: Why are Stars games, in the Central Time Zone, not starting until almost 9 p.m.?
The late start is a result of the NHL wanting to air only one game at a time in hopes to encourage more eyes to watch each one. It has forced some of the Central Time Zone games to take on the backend of back-to-backs of network coverage.
This leaves these games ending near or past midnight, at times, which is a struggle when they're mid-week games and fans have work or school the next morning.
Stars fans experienced the same scheduling frustrations in Round 1 against the Minnesota Wild. WFAA's Mike Leslie commented on the start times after Game 1:
In Round 2, alas, more 8:30 p.m. start times for Games 1 and 2 against the Seattle Kraken. The Florida Panthers versus Toronto Maple Leafs series will precede that at 6 p.m. each night.
Watching Games 3 and 4 won't be suitable for Stars fans, either.
The NHL announced the full series schedule Tuesday afternoon, which showed Games 3 and 4 would also start coverage at 8:30 CST.
As Leslie said in his Extra Point: start napping now. If you plan on watching the Stars this series, you're going to have to stay up late to do so.
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