Finally, after months of anticipation, the AHL has finally released the 2011-12 schedule. Now the fun of planning and figuring out road trips, home games, and life for the next 7 months can begin. Without further ado, here is Albany’s schedule for this season:
OCTOBER (7 H, 3 A)
8–SPRINGFIELD
9–BRIDGEPORT
14–CONNECTICUT
15–at Worcester
16–BINGHAMTON
21–HERSHEY
22–ADIRONDACK
23–at Providence
28–at Binghamton
29–HAMILTON
NOVEMBER (5 H, 5 A)
2–BINGHAMTON
4–NORFOLK
5–CONNECTICUT
11–NORFOLK
12–at Syracuse
13–TORONTO
19–at Hershey
25–at Rochester
26–at Adirondack
27–at Springfield
DECEMBER (7 H, 7 A)
2–BRIDGEPORT
3–at Bridgeport
4–ROCHESTER
9–at Rochester
10–at Toronto
14–SYRACUSE
16–WORCESTER
17–SPRINGFIELD
19–at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
21–BINGHAMTON
26–at Binghamton
27–at Connecticut
30–MANCHESTER
31–at Adirondack
JANUARY (4 H, 5 A)
6–at Norfolk
7–at Norfolk
14–SYRACUSE
16–ADIRONDACK
18–NORFOLK
20–at Adirondack
21–at Springfield
27–at Binghamton
28–ADIRONDACK
FEBRUARY (3 H, 9 A)
3–at Connecticut
4–at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
10–at Hamilton
11–at Syracuse
12–at Providence
15–SYRACUSE
18–WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
19–BINGHAMTON
20–at Bridgeport
24–at Syracuse
25–at Manchester
26–at Bridgeport
MARCH (8 H, 7 A)
2–BRIDGEPORT
3–ADIRONDACK
4–SYRACUSE
9–at Syracuse
10–at Adirondack
11–at Syracuse
16–at Binghamton
17–at Hershey
18–HERSHEY
21–WORCESTER
23–at Norfolk
24–at Norfolk
28–ROCHESTER
30–PROVIDENCE
31–WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
APRIL (4 H, 2 A)
4–at Worcester
6–at Adirondack
7–ADIRONDACK
13–NORFOLK
14–PROVIDENCE
15–SYRACUSE
Breakdown by day:
Sunday 13 (8 H/5 A), Monday 4 (1 H/3 A), Tuesday 1 A, Wednesday 8 (7 H/1 A), Friday 23 (10 H/13 A), Saturday 27 (12 H/15 A)
My observations:
-Very heavy home schedule to start out and a 4 game homestand to finish. Don’t mind that at all.
-Whose idea was it for the team to jump up and down the Northway/Thruway in early March? Syracuse on a Friday night, then north to Adirondack on Saturday night, then all the way back to Syracuse for a late afternoon Sunday game.
-There are a couple of weekday day games to point out: March 28th is an 11:30 AM start, sounds like a school day program. And also January 16th is a 2 PM start time. Presidents Day in Bridgeport is a 1 PM start.
-I’ll still be doing my annual trip to Wilkes-Barre, looks like February 4th weather permitting. And a lot of trips to Bingo and Syracuse may be on the calendar as well. I may even go to Providence for the first time in 5 years, they have a couple of Sunday afternoon matchups.
-One Wednesday road game. Wow.
-12 3 in 3s, including the last weekend. And I noticed a couple of all roadies mixed in.
-Longest homestand: October 29th- November 11th, 5 games. 5 games is also the longest road trip, from February 3rd-12th.
Now that we have a schedule in hand…now it’s time to really look forward to October. Only 52 days to go!
Thoughts Inside The Box 