When the NHL changed the start times for the Stars' first three games against the Vegas Golden Knights, fans across Dallas knew they would need days to catch up on sleep before Game 1. .
Games 1 and 2 in Dallas both begin at 8:30 PM Central Time and typically end at 8:52 PM on national television. Game 3, to be played Saturday in Las Vegas, doesn't start until 9:30 p.m. Pacific time.
While the playoffs involve a change in intensity and emotion on the ice, the Stars must also prepare for a change in schedule off the ice.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer said, “We're a mid-range team, so it can't be helped that we get off to a slow start because of the TV.'' “It's just because of where we are and the department we're in.”
The Stars' only three home games this year were nationally televised starting at 8:30 p.m.: Nov. 22 against Las Vegas, April 3 against Edmonton, and April 17 against St. Louis. Fortunately for Dallas, two of those games happened this month and served as preparation for the playoffs.
But at least through the first two rounds, Dallas will have to get used to the late night and morning shock.
“There's no way around it,” DeBoer said. “It disrupts your day a little bit. It probably disrupts your life even more the next day. By the time you get out of the rink, decompress, the players cool down, eat, it's a big game. It's hard enough to sleep after that.Then you end up working overtime.The biggest effects are usually seen the next day.
There are no five-minute 3-on-3 overtimes or shootouts in the playoffs. Teams will continue to play him 5-on-5 for 20 minutes at a time, so in the postseason some games can be twice his normal length until someone scores.
Regardless of whether overtime is played, DeBoer said he doesn't expect the Stars to practice many off days between the 8:30 p.m. starts. The team held three full mandatory practices on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to prepare for Monday and allow for a few days off in between.
schedule
| position | Date Time | tv set | |
|---|---|---|---|
| game 1 | American Airlines Center (Dallas) | Monday, 8:30 p.m. | ESPN/BSSW |
| game 2 | American Airlines Center (Dallas) | Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. | ESPN/BSSW |
| Game 3 | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas | Saturday, April 27th, 9:30pm | TBS/BSSW |
| Game 4 | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas | Monday, April, time to be determined | BSSW/To be determined |
| Games 5* | American Airlines Center (Dallas) | Wednesday, May 1st, time to be determined | BSSW/To be determined |
| Game 6* | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas | Friday, May 3rd, time to be determined | BSSW/To be determined |
| Game 7* | American Airlines Center (Dallas) | Sunday, May 5th, time to be determined | BSSW/To be determined |
*If necessary
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