Politics is bowing to Canada’s most popular sport as the French-language leaders’ debate was abruptly rescheduled to minimize a conflict with a Montreal Canadiens hockey game.

A political leaders' debate in Canada is moved to avoid a clash with the Montreal Canadiens' fixture against the Carolina Hurricanes.

A French-language debate between five leaders of Canadian political parties had been scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern. But after two party leaders complained that the debate would compete with a 7 p.m. Montreal Canadiens game, the debate’s start time was moved up by two hours.