The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to host the Detroit Red Wings on Monday in a holiday matinee game. The start time will now be moved up by two hours.
The Leafs announced on Friday that the game, originally scheduled for 4 p.m. ET , will now drop the puck at 2 p.m. in an effort to avoid a conflict with Game 2 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS), hosted by the Toronto Blue Jays.
“The Blue Jays playoff excitement has captured the entire city and we want to help make sure that fans don’t miss a pitch,” Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment President Keith Pelley said in a statement. “We greatly appreciate the cooperation by the NHL and Amazon Prime to make this time change possible and we all look forward to cheering on both the Leafs and the Blue Jays on Monday afternoon and evening”.
The Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 in their regular season opener on Wednesday. That game competed directly with the Blue Jays' series-clinching victory over the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series. While the conflict created some memorable moments—with fans of both NHL clubs chanting “Let’s Go Blue Jays” and being permitted to stay in the building to watch the end of the ballgame —a conflict-free night is certainly preferred by all Toronto sports fans.
Toronto sports fans can rejoice. Fans attending the Leafs game on Monday will be invited to stay in their seats to watch the Jays game as Scotiabank Arena at the conclusion of the hockey game. If the Detroit Tigers end up advancing to meet the Blue Jays in the ALCS, Red Wings fans will be happy about the change, too.
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