AHL Announces Division Alignment, Schedule Formats For 2005-06
Published on June 28, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
MANCHESTER, NH - The Manchester Monarchs, the primary affiliate of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, are scheduled to play seven opponents from the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history during the 2005-06 season. In addition, the Albany River Rats have moved into the Atlantic Division to replace the Worcester IceCats, who have moved to Peoria, Illinois. The American Hockey League Board of Governors' released the conference and division alignments, along with playoff and schedule formats for the 2005-06 season from their annual meeting at Amelia Island, Florida.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division: Albany River Rats, Hartford Wolf Pack, Lowell Lock Monsters, Manchester Monarchs, Portland Pirates, Providence Bruins and the Springfield Falcons.
East Division: Binghamton Senators, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Hershey Bears, Norfolk Admirals, Philadelphia Phantoms and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Western Conference
North Division: Cleveland Barons, Grand Rapids Griffins, Hamilton Bulldogs, Manitoba Moose, Rochester Americans, Syracuse Crunch and the Toronto Marlies.
West Division: Chicago Wolves, Houston Aeros, Iowa Stars, Milwaukee Admirals, Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, Peoria Rivermen and the San Antonio Rampage.
Like the rest of the 27-team AHL, the Monarchs will play an unbalanced 80-game schedule consisting of 40 home games and 40 road games. The Monarchs will face their division rivals' Lowell, Providence and Springfield 10 times (five home and five road games), Portland and Hartford eight times (four home and four road games) and Albany six times (three home and three road games). In the East Division, the Monarchs will play Norfolk four times (two home and two road games) and Bridgeport, Binghamton, Hershey, Philadelphia and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton twice (one home and one road game).
The Western Conference teams that the Monarchs will face are Hamilton, Houston, Iowa, Omaha, Peoria, San Antonio and Toronto. Manchester will play each team twice (one home and one road game).
The entire 2005-06 Monarchs schedule will be announced later this summer. The Monarchs home opener will be on Saturday, October 15 at the Verizon Wireless Arena. The opponent on this date has yet to be determined.
The Board also declared that at the conclusion of the 2005-06 regular season, the 2006 Calder Cup Playoffs will feature the top four teams in each of the four divisions, with one possible exception: if the fifth-place team in the Atlantic Division finishes with more points than the fourth-place team in the East Division, it would cross over and compete in the East Division playoffs. The postseason format will again feature a divisional playoff, leading to conference finals and ultimately the Calder Cup Finals. All rounds will comprise best-of-seven series.
Are you a resident in Monarchs Country? Season tickets for the Monarchs fifth anniversary season are on sale now. Visit www.monarchshockey.com or call (603) 626-7825 for more information on the team's Full-Season, Half-Season and 10-Game ticket packages.
American Hockey League Stories from June 28, 2005
- AHL Announces New Schedule - OSC Original by Chris Meiman
- Senators 2005-06 opponents announced - Binghamton Senators
- AHL Announces Division Alignment, Schedule Formats For 2005-06 - Manchester Monarchs
- Wolves remain in wild West - Chicago Wolves
- Penguins to remain in East Division - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Griffins move to North Division - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Bruins remain in Atlantic Division - Providence Bruins
- Ads to continue play in the West - Milwaukee Admirals
- Bears return to the FM dial in 2005-06 - Hershey Bears
- Bulldogs to play more teams than ever before in 2005-06 - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Lock Monsters remain in Atlantic Division - Albany Devils
- Wolf Pack remain part of Atlantic Division - Connecticut Whale
- AHL sets divisions, schedule and playoff formats for 2005-06 - Peoria Rivermen
- Falcons to have new division opponent in Albany River Rats - Springfield Falcons
- Stars aligned with geographical rivals - Iowa Chops
- Phantoms 2005-06 schedule format announced - Adirondack Phantoms
- Pirates announce date for home opener - Portland Pirates
- Bears announce 2005-06 schedule - Hershey Bears
- Three new divisional foes, 2003 Calder Cup Finals rematch await Aeros - Houston Aeros
- AHL announces division alignments, schedule and playoff formats for 2005-06 - AHL
- Griffins' home opener set for October 15 - Grand Rapids Griffins
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