from Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times,

This is a tale about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Definitely the wrong time.

The NHL insists Blackhawks fans are victims of their geography. That’s why we Midwesterners — or Children of the Corn, as commissioner Gary Bettman thinks of us — are getting stuck with all these 8:30 p.m. starts for Hawks playoff games, according to the league.

I suspect it’s a we-don’t-live-in-New-York-and-thus-don’t-matter problem, but if I say that, I’ll probably have a college professor declare that I have an inferiority complex about being from Chicago.

The first game of the Blackhawks-Wild series started at 8:30 p.m. Friday, as will Thursday’s Game 4 in Minnesota. That will make it five 8:30 starts out of the first 10 playoff games for the Hawks – three of them on school nights.

Oh, and by the way, although the start time says 8:30 p.m., the action actually begins at 8:45 because of all the pregame buildup on TV. Judging by the bags under your eyes, I can tell you know that already. Judging by your kids taking up any other sport than hockey, I can tell you know that already too.

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