In a couple of weeks, the SPHL will release the schedule for the 2015-16 season. However, for hockey junkies trying to get their off-season fix, we will stop at nothing to give you an idea what the schedule may look like for the upcoming season.
Tentative Dates
Note: These are tentatively scheduled dates. Dates and opponents are subject to change.
UPDATE: Schedule released on July 17th. The remaining three home dates have been added.
UPDATE: Schedule released on July 17th. The remaining three home dates have been added.
November (6)
Call the waaaaambulance and get your foam hands ready! The IceGators open their home season with a three game set against Peoria on November 5th, 6th, and 8th. Fayetteville makes the long drive to the Frozen Swamp for a Sunday date on the 15th, and Huntsville closes out the month for Thanksgiving leftovers on Saturday the 28th.
UPDATE: Fayetteville will play on the 14th and 15th.
December (7)
Fayetteville returns to Lafayette with a pair of games on the 4th and 6th. The Ice Flyers make their first trip to the Cajundome on the 11th, the Riverkings on the 19th and 20th, and Macon after Christmas on the 26th and 27th.
January (4)
The Gators begin the new year with three consecutive home dates against Mississippi, Columbus, and Pensacola on the 7th-9th, along with a Saturday game against the RiverKings on the 16th.
February (5)
Two weekend sets of home games this month. Huntsville plays two on the 19th and 20th, with the RiverKings coming in on the 21st; and Columbus and Macon play on the 27th and 28th.
March (4)
The schedule gets iffy from this point... The Cajundome de-icing is slated for the 9th, but there are scheduled dates on the 16th against Peoria and Pensacola on the 26th. Those dates may be moved before the official schedule is published.
UPDATE: Columbus on March 6th, and Pensacola on March 9th.
April (2)
A two game set against Knoxville is scheduled for the 8th and 9th. These may not be placeholder dates, as the SPHL is extending the regular season into the first week of April this season.
Playoffs
Postseason games will be limited to mid-week dates, as the Cajundome is booked for all other weekends in April. If the SPHL regular season ends on April 9th, and IF the IceGators make it to the President's Cup Final - which would be played the last week of April - they would play the series entirely on the road.
Why? Disney on Ice... again. We're not kidding, folks.
The current schedule breakdown by weekdays:
Sunday: 8 Games
Monday-Wednesday : 2 Games
Thursday: 2 Games
Friday: 6 Games
Saturday: 10 Games
And the breakdown by opponents:
Columbus: 3
Fayetteville: 4
Huntsville: 3
Knoxville: 2
Macon: 4
Mississippi: 4
Pensacola: 4
Peoria: 4
The tentative dates account for 25 of the 28 home dates, so look for additional dates that need to be filled in, likely against Mississippi and Pensacola. The March 16th home date is an odd booking, as it's sandwiched between Arena Cross and Rodeo dates. There is enough of a break for the Cajundome to re-install the ice before the March 26th date against Pensacola and remove it for Monster Jam the following weekend - but that's unlikely.
We'll know how it all plays out once the schedule is official. Until then...
Call the waaaaambulance and get your foam hands ready! The IceGators open their home season with a three game set against Peoria on November 5th, 6th, and 8th. Fayetteville makes the long drive to the Frozen Swamp for a Sunday date on the 15th, and Huntsville closes out the month for Thanksgiving leftovers on Saturday the 28th.
UPDATE: Fayetteville will play on the 14th and 15th.
December (7)
Fayetteville returns to Lafayette with a pair of games on the 4th and 6th. The Ice Flyers make their first trip to the Cajundome on the 11th, the Riverkings on the 19th and 20th, and Macon after Christmas on the 26th and 27th.
January (4)
The Gators begin the new year with three consecutive home dates against Mississippi, Columbus, and Pensacola on the 7th-9th, along with a Saturday game against the RiverKings on the 16th.
February (5)
Two weekend sets of home games this month. Huntsville plays two on the 19th and 20th, with the RiverKings coming in on the 21st; and Columbus and Macon play on the 27th and 28th.
March (4)
The schedule gets iffy from this point... The Cajundome de-icing is slated for the 9th, but there are scheduled dates on the 16th against Peoria and Pensacola on the 26th. Those dates may be moved before the official schedule is published.
UPDATE: Columbus on March 6th, and Pensacola on March 9th.
April (2)
A two game set against Knoxville is scheduled for the 8th and 9th. These may not be placeholder dates, as the SPHL is extending the regular season into the first week of April this season.
Playoffs
Postseason games will be limited to mid-week dates, as the Cajundome is booked for all other weekends in April. If the SPHL regular season ends on April 9th, and IF the IceGators make it to the President's Cup Final - which would be played the last week of April - they would play the series entirely on the road.
Why? Disney on Ice... again. We're not kidding, folks.
The current schedule breakdown by weekdays:
Sunday: 8 Games
Monday-Wednesday : 2 Games
Thursday: 2 Games
Friday: 6 Games
Saturday: 10 Games
And the breakdown by opponents:
Columbus: 3
Fayetteville: 4
Huntsville: 3
Knoxville: 2
Macon: 4
Mississippi: 4
Pensacola: 4
Peoria: 4
The tentative dates account for 25 of the 28 home dates, so look for additional dates that need to be filled in, likely against Mississippi and Pensacola. The March 16th home date is an odd booking, as it's sandwiched between Arena Cross and Rodeo dates. There is enough of a break for the Cajundome to re-install the ice before the March 26th date against Pensacola and remove it for Monster Jam the following weekend - but that's unlikely.
We'll know how it all plays out once the schedule is official. Until then...