Matthew Tkachuk gets his wish: Panthers, NHL move game time on night Miami will play for CFP title

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk wants to watch the Miami Hurricanes play for the College Football Playoff national championship. Thing is, he and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers have a home game that night.

Problem solved, sort of.

The start time of Florida’s game against San Jose on Jan. 19 has been moved up to 6 p.m., one hour ahead of the previously scheduled puck drop in Sunrise. The NHL announced the change on Monday.

The CFP title game between Miami and Indiana down the road in Miami Gardens is set to start shortly after 7:30 p.m., so the Panthers-Sharks game could end around the time the Hurricanes and Hoosiers are starting the second quarter.

“I think some guys are trying to get our game pushed up a little bit, so we can watch it,” Tkachuk said last week, even before Miami (13-2, No. 10 CFP) clinched its spot in the championship game against Indiana (15-0, No. 1 CFP).

Their efforts were successful.

Tkachuk has become a Miami fan in his time with the Panthers, even indicating in recent weeks that he’d like to see the Hurricanes’ hockey program — a club sport — become a varsity offering. He also was a huge hit earlier this season as a guest commentator on ESPN’s “College GameDay” broadcast from the school’s campus.

Tkachuk has also gotten to know some members of Miami’s football program. And after helping the Panthers reach the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last three seasons, along with winning the last two Cup titles, he knows what it means to South Florida when teams go on championship runs.

“I think they’re trying to make South Florida ‘Titletown,’” Tkachuk said. “So, it’d be pretty cool if they can do it.”

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