Worcester, MA. – The Worcester IceCats in conjunction with the American Hockey League (AHL) today announced their 1999-2000 schedule, which is heavily accentuated with home weekend dates.
Fourteen (14) Saturdays highlight the home schedule to be played at Worcester’s Centrum Centre, including the Worcester opener on October 2nd. The IceCats will play an 80 game schedule, encompassing all but two teams in the League. They will welcome a trio of new entries into the AHL during the 40 game Worcester slate.
Worcester IceCats Executive Vice President Peter Ricciardi was very pleased with the final schedule. “Having frozen ticket prices at last year’s level, this fan friendly schedule should offer a fantastic 1999-2000 AHL season for Worcester fans.”
The AHL season will start a week earlier than the 1998-99 season. Opening Night at Worcester’s Centrum Centre for the IceCats will be against the Lowell Lock Monsters on Saturday, October 2nd at 7:35 PM.
Kids Opening Day is on the eve of Columbus Day on Sunday, October 10th at 5:00 PM.
The schedule features 14 Saturdays, seven Fridays and 11 Sundays, with the remainder set for Wednesdays (5), plus holidays and vacation dates.
Home weekend start times are Friday and Saturday at 7:35 and Sunday at 5:05. Monday through Thursday start times are 7:05. Exceptions are the Columbus Day game on Monday, October 11th. That game with the Bruins will start at 5:05. Two Sunday games will begin at 3:05. The IceCats welcome Providence on Sunday, December 5th at 3:05 and Kids’ Appreciation Day will be Sunday, April 9th versus Springfield at 3:05. All times are Eastern Standard.
The IceCats play the most home games in October in their history (10 total: 8 home-2 away).
The Calder Cup champion Providence Bruins make five stops in Worcester, with the first on Monday, October 11th. The IceCats challenge only two other teams at Worcester’s Centrum Centre five times. Hartford and Springfield will both make the sub-65 mile trips on five separate occasions. Rounding out the geographic rivalries, Portland and Lowell will each visit Worcester four times.
The IceCats will not host or travel to Hamilton or St. John’s. Last season, the IceCats did not play the Syracuse Crunch. This season, Worcester will host and visit Syracuse twice.
Three teams will make their Worcester debut. Quebec’s (Montreal) first of two visits is on October 29th. Louisville (Florida) will stop in for their only Worcester tilt on November 17th, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Pittsburgh) make their lone appearance on December 30th.
Three games will pave the way into the new millennium during the traditional school vacation week: Sunday, December 26th vs. Portland, Tuesday, December 28th vs. Saint John and Thursday, December 30th vs. Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton.
The IceCats will celebrate the new millennium on Sunday, January 2nd against the Springfield Falcons.
The divisional breakdown for home and road games is as follows:
New England Division: 19 home-19 road.
Atlantic Division: Eight home-eight road.
Empire Division: seven home-seven road.
Mid-Atlantic Division: six home-six road.
By conference, the ‘Cats will play 27 home and 27 road games against their Eastern Conference rivals.
The Western Conference features 13 home and 13 road battles.
Two holiday games are highlighted on the home docket, including Columbus Day (Monday, October 11th vs. Providence) and St. Patrick’s Day (Friday, March 17th vs. Cincinnati).
The longest homestand is four straight games, as the Centrum Centre will host Hartford and Portland, Quebec and Philadelphia on consecutive October weekends.
The greatest number of days between home games is 17. The IceCats host Hartford on Wednesday, December 8th and do not play at home again until Sunday, December 26th.
The longest road trip in mileage is 1,859 when the IceCats depart from Worcester for a February 4th showdown in Cincinnati and continue on to Louisville and Kentucky before returning home.
Preseason dates will be announced in August.
Ticket prices have not changed from the 1998-99 season. Adult admission is $13.50, $11.50 for students and $8.50 for children and seniors. Season ticket packages, Flex Packs and group tickets are on sale now. Individual tickets will go on sale in September.