French election debate time moved to avoid Montreal Canadiens game conflict [Video]

The French-language federal leaders debate has been rescheduled two hours earlier on Wednesday, after calls by the Bloc Quebecois and NDP to change the time so it doesn’t conflict with a critical Montreal Canadiens game.

The Canadiens are set for a puck drop against the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, with a spot in the NHL playoffs on the line.

CBC/Radio-Canada, which was selected by the independent Leaders’ Debates Commission to produce the debates, confirmed to Global News that the French-language debate will now take place at 6 p.m. Eastern, and is set to conclude at 8 p.m. Eastern.

On Tuesday, Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet suggested he’d like to see the day of the debate changed so Canadians won’t have to choose between watching the debate and watching the game.

“If the date can be changed, let’s do that,” he said at a press conference. “I will, of course, make myself available at any …