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Getting ready for games 7 hours earlier than normal is perfectly fine with Eero Makela. "This works out great for my family and friends back home," the Finn said after the change was announced. "Back in Tampere, they only get to watch games live when it's the weekend because they are so late, but now it will let them watch without having to go to work so exhausted the next day."

"Besides," Makela added, "it's not like I have any pregame rituals or superstitious things I need to do, I I can just readjust to my native time zone. It will also make things easier during the off-season, when I return home."

The change in the schedule is happening because the league's attendance numbers are way down, likely due to a lack of parity. The hope is that some old time hockey earlier in the day will lead to a lot of ticket sales from the senior citizen community. Nothing like 12 thousand octogenarians in a big, cold room to get you excited.