Wonderful coaching by Joel Quenneville. They have to be the favorites. John, not unless they get Lindros healthy and into the lineup. He will have an impact on their offense. And they need it.
Scheduling has to be done in advance.
It takes hundreds of people to put on each game. You also have to have respect for the fans who pay to buy tickets. Therefore, they know what time their games will start and what time to be at the arenas. You did not say where you were from, but a Detroit game does a very high rating. Of all the cities in the U.S., their rating is the highest.