Finally, finally, finally (and did I mention finally?) the day has arrived.
After waiting for the NBA to get their schedule finalized (since a few Western Conference teams share the building), the AHL released the full 2014-15 schedule this morning. Here is the full Albany schedule, followed by a breakdown:
(all home games in CAPS)
OCTOBER
11-at Adirondack
17-at Bridgeport
18-BRIDGEPORT
21-WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
24-at Hartford
25-HARTFORD
NOVEMBER
1-BRIDGEPORT
2-PORTLAND
5-at Hartford
8-at Bridgeport
9-at Bridgeport
12-SYRACUSE
14-at Portland
15-at Portland
21-WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
22-at Binghamton
23-BRIDGEPORT
26-HARTFORD
28-LEHIGH VALLEY*
29-UTICA
DECEMBER
2-SPRINGFIELD
5-at Providence
6-PORTLAND
7-ADIRONDACK
11-at Hartford
14-LEHIGH VALLEY*
19-at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
20-at Syracuse
26-at Syracuse
27-SPRINGFIELD
30-PROVIDENCE
JANUARY
2-SYRACUSE
3-at Bridgeport
4-at Bridgeport
9-HERSHEY
10-BRIDGEPORT
11-at Springfield
14-SPRINGFIELD
16-at Lehigh Valley
17-at Hershey
21-BRIDGEPORT+
23-at Worcester
24-WORCESTER
29-at Lehigh Valley
30-ST. JOHN’S
31-ST. JOHN’S
FEBRUARY
4-at Manchester
6-at Springfield
13-HERSHEY
14-at Hartford
15-HARTFORD
20-at Syracuse
21-at Utica
22-at Springfield
27-at Syracuse
28-at Hershey
MARCH
1-BINGHAMTON
6-at St. John’s
7-at St. John’s
13-WORCESTER
14-SYRACUSE
15-SPRINGFIELD
18-NORFOLK
21-NORFOLK
22-HARTFORD
27-at Norfolk
28-at Norfolk
APRIL
1-MANCHESTER
3-at Springfield
4-BINGHAMTON
10-at Binghamton
11-at Hartford
12-at Worcester
15-SYRACUSE
17-at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
18-HARTFORD
*at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City
+at Prudential Center, Newark
Looking at the numbers:
First, the opponents…
36 intra-division games, with Bridgeport and Hartford 10 times apiece, and Springfield and Syracuse 8 times.
20 games against the East Division (Binghamton, Hershey, Lehigh Valley, Norfolk, Wilkes-Barre), evenly split with 4 games each.
16 games against the Atlantic: 4 each with Worcester and St. John’s (back on the schedule for the first time in 2 seasons), and 2 each with Manchester and Providence.
Only 4 games in the Western Conference: 2 with Adirondack, 2 with Utica. No Rochester yet again. It’s actually going to be nice not having to see Adirondack 20 times this year (okay, it just seems that way but still).
3 neutral site home games, with 2 back in Atlantic City on November 28th and December 14th…and both against Lehigh Valley. Great idea Lou, you just gave up two home crowds to Philly with that one! And again, no one was told about this happening.
However, there is a game at the Rock on January 21st against Bridgeport. About time the AHL Devils returned to the NHL home!
Only 9 3 in 3 weekends this year, but a majority of them are in the second half of the season.
Longest homestand comes in March, a 6 game stretch from the 13th-22nd. The longest road trip comes just before that, a 5 game trip from February 20th-28th. St. John’s and Norfolk two game swings are both in March as well.
Breakdown by day: Sunday 13, Monday 0, Tuesday 3, Wednesday 8, Thursday 2, Friday 23, Saturday 26. Very weekend heavy schedule as usual. And a couple of Tuesday home games, which I find rather weird.
Once again this season, all Saturday home games with the exception of January 24th (a 2 PM start to accommodate the annual RPI-Union matchup) will start at 5 PM. Look at it this way…if New Jersey plays the same night, you can get dinner and still catch at least half the game afterwards! Sundays are at 3 PM, while all other start times are at 7.
The All Star Classic is scheduled for January 25th and 26th. More information, including format and location, to come.
One more scheduling note to pass along, as a second preseason game was announced last week: the team will travel to Champions Skating Center in Cromwell, Connecticut, on October 1st to take on the Wolfpack.
Thoughts Inside The Box 