Game 5 of the divisional playoff series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the host St. Louis Blues started at 8:42 p.m. local time in order to accommodate the national broadcasting schedule – their game would just be underway as the 7 p.m. ET games were ending.

The late start time has become the norm in this Western Conference series, and Blackhawks announcer Pat Foley was sick of it.

With his network CSN Chicago being simulcast nationally on NBCSN, Foley went into an epic rant about the late start times:

Said Foley:

“Eddie, we’ve had a tremendous series between two great teams here. And it has been compelling theater: The two teams have been tied or one-goal games 96 percent of the time so far. But this is the third time in five games that a start time of 8:42 [p.m.] local was mandated. I can say with certainty: Players can not stand these late starts. Coaches can not stand them. Most importantly, the fans can’t stand them.

“So as we approach midnight – AGAIN – on a work night, a school night, a simple question: An 8:42 puck drop …”

And then he was cut off by a commercial.

Now, the NHL and its television partner probably weren’t enamored with an announcer going rogue like that about their scheduling. At the very least, NBCSN analyst Mike Milbury wasn’t, as he called out Foley – though not by name – after the Hawks’ 4-3 overtime win to force a Game 6 on Saturday night at 7 p.m. CT.

For everyone who missed it, here are Milbury's comments directed at Pat Foley on the late start times. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/qZiAqeWzKO — One Goal. One Team. (@onegoal_oneteam) April 22, 2016

Said Milbury:

“You know what? If that’s too late for certain announcers, I think they should just let someone else call the game, and stay home and get a good night’s rest, because 8 o’clock it is. We do that so we can get everybody involved, and all the games on. Lots of games and we do a good job showing them.”

(What kind of alternate universe did we stagger into where the Western Conference guy is complaining that the games are too late and the Boston guy is saying ‘suck it up and brew some coffee?’”)

So Milbury takes a shot at Foley after Foley takes a shot, in a roundabout way, at NBCSN. We’re pretty sure where public sentiment it going to fall here. And we also wonder how a slightly earlier start time for this series might have helped the national ratings.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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