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Gorillas announce 06/07 regular season schedule

August 7, 2006 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Amarillo Gorillas News Release


AMARILLO, TX - The Gorillas are pleased to announce the regular season schedule for the upcoming 2006-2007 season, which sees them open up against one of the newest members of the Central Hockey League and finish with one of their arch rivals.

The Central Hockey League (CHL) announced the regular season schedule today for its 15th season and all eyes in Amarillo immediately leapt to Saturday October 21st when the Gorillas will bring the rumble back to the Jungle for their home opener against the New Mexico Scorpions. New Mexico was one of three teams added by the CHL this past off season (Arizona and Rocky Mountain were the other two).

"It's always exciting to have that first game on your schedule come at home," Gorillas General Manager Darren McLean said. "It's nice to have New Mexico back in the league and we're looking forward to a packed house on opening night as we renew that rivalry."

The 64-game schedule has the Gorillas opening play on Oct. 21st and rounding out the regular season with one final home game against the Odessa Jackalopes on Sunday March 25th. Teams like Odessa will certainly be no stranger to the Gorillas as 34 games will come against the other members of the Southwest Division with annual rivals Lubbock and Odessa leading the way with 11 and 10 meetings respectively. The Gorillas will also play New Mexico 7 times and will meet up with the Arizona Sundogs for 6 games.

As usual the bulk of the Gorillas games will be played over the weekend with 19 Fridays, 20 Saturdays and 13 Sundays witnessing Gorillas hockey this upcoming year. The Gorillas will round out their schedule with 4 Tuesdays, 5 Wednesdays and 3 Thursdays. Gorilla fans can take solace though in that only 2 of those weekday games will be at home in the Jungle. This leaves the fans 8 home Friday games, 11 home Saturdays and 11 home Sunday get-togethers.

"Weekend games are always huge for us and huge for the fans," McLean said. "The energy and excitement in the building is always greater on a Friday or a Saturday and the enthusiasm this year with it being our 5th anniversary should be better than ever."

But even with all the weekend festivities in place the Gorillas still see a few tough stretches on their upcoming schedule. The longest road trip comes in late November when the Gorillas play 4 games in 6 days in 4 different cities. The journey starts Friday Nov. 24 when the Gorillas head to Tulsa to battle the Oilers. From there, the road goes through Lubbock on Saturday, Corpus Christi the following Tuesday and finally comes to an end in Odessa Wednesday. The Gorillas will also be busy boys on the weekends as they'll have to endure seven 3-games-in-3-days weekends with back-to-back 3-game weekends coming in early January and mid March.

With a rigorous 64-game schedule packed into 5 ½ months there are some grinding stretches on tap for the Gorillas. In late November, they'll play 6 games in 9 days spanning from Nov. 17th to Nov. 25th. The Gorillas will then have to endure 6 games in 10 days in early January leading up to the All-Star break. Finally, the Gorillas will be tested in late March with a 7-games-in-10-days grind that could ultimately decide their playoff fate.

"You never like to see those tough stretches at the end of your schedule," McLean said. "But compared to the 14 games we had in March last year we're considerably better off this season. We'll just have to put ourselves in a situation where we're ready to deal with that tough stretch and be prepared for it."

December will be the busiest month for the Gorillas as they'll take to the ice 13 times during the final month of the calendar year. Twelve games are on the docket for November, January and March, 11 in February and just 4 in October .

Season ticket packages and corporate sponsorships for the 2006-2007 season are available now! Individual game tickets, once they go on sale, can be purchased at the Gorillas Hockey Office, located at 1934 Civic Circle off of I-40 and Georgia, the Civic Center Box Office and all Panhandle Ticket Outlets. These include Randy's Music Mart, the West Texas Event Center in Canyon and United Supermarkets. Tickets can also be charged by phone at (806) 378-3096 or (806) 242-PUCK (7825).

Saturday Oct. 21 New Mexico Scorpions @ Amarillo Gorillas
Friday Oct. 27 Amarillo Gorillas @ Odessa Jackalopes
Saturday Oct. 28 Amarillo Gorillas @ Oklahoma City Blazers
Sunday Oct. 29 Arizona Sundogs @ Amarillo Gorillas

Friday Nov. 3 Corpus Christi Rays @ Amarillo Gorillas
Saturday Nov. 4 Youngstown Steelhounds @ Amarillo Gorillas
Friday Nov. 10 Amarillo Gorillas @ Lubbock Cotton Kings
Saturday Nov. 11 Amarillo Gorillas @ Odessa Jackalopes
Friday Nov. 17 Amarillo Gorillas @ Wichita Thunder
Saturday Nov. 18 Lubbock Cotton Kings @ Amarillo Gorillas
Sunday Nov. 19 Wichita Thunder @ Amarillo Gorillas
Wednesday Nov. 22 Rocky Mountain Rage @ Amarillo Gorillas
Friday Nov. 24 Amarillo Gorillas @ Tulsa Oilers
Saturday Nov. 25 Amarillo Gorillas @ Lubbock Cotton Kings
Tuesday Nov. 28 Amarillo Gorillas @ Corpus Christi Rays
Wednesday Nov. 29 Amarillo Gorillas @ Odessa Jackalopes

Saturday Dec. 2 Tulsa Oilers @ Amarillo Gorillas
Sunday Dec. 3 Lubbock Cotton Kings @ Amarillo Gorillas
Friday Dec. 8 Amarillo Gorillas @ Colorado Eagles
Saturday Dec. 9 Amarillo Gorillas @ Colorado Eagles
Friday Dec. 15 Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees @ Amarillo Gorillas
Saturday Dec. 16 Odessa Jackalopes @ Amarillo Gorillas
Tuesday Dec. 19 Laredo Bucks @ Amarillo Gorillas
Friday Dec. 22 Amarillo Gorillas @ Oklahoma City Blazers
Saturday Dec. 23 Amarillo Gorillas @ Lubbock Cotton Kings
Tuesday Dec. 26 Amarillo Gorillas @ Wichita Thunder
Friday Dec. 29 Tulsa Oilers @ Amarillo Gorillas
Saturday Dec. 30 Amarillo Gorillas @ Wichita Thunder
Sunday Dec. 31 Austin Ice Bats @ Amarillo Gorillas


Friday Jan. 5 Amarillo Gorillas @ New Mexico Scorpions
Saturday Jan. 6 Youngstown Steelhounds @ Amarillo Gorillas
Sunday Jan. 7 Odessa Jackalopes @ Amarillo Gorillas
Friday Jan. 12 Amarillo Gorillas @ Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
Saturday Jan. 13 Amarillo Gorillas @ Austin Ice Bats
Sunday Jan. 14 Odessa Jackalopes @ Amarillo Gorillas
Friday Jan. 19 New Mexico Scorpions @ Amarillo Gorillas
Saturday Jan. 20 Tulsa Oilers @ Amarillo Gorillas
Thursday Jan. 25 Amarillo Gorillas @ New Mexico Scorpions
Friday Jan. 26 Amarillo Gorillas @ Arizona Sundogs
Sunday Jan. 28 Odessa Jackalopes @ Amarillo Gorillas
Wednesday Jan. 31 Amarillo Gorillas @ Arizona Sundogs

Friday Feb. 2 Lubbock Cotton Kings @ Amarillo Gorillas
Saturday Feb. 3 Arizona Sundogs @ Amarillo Gorillas
Friday Feb. 9 Amarillo Gorillas @ Lubbock Cotton Kings
Sunday Feb. 11 Colorado Eagles @ Amarillo Gorillas
Wednesday Feb. 14 Amarillo Gorillas @ Arizona Sundogs
Friday Feb. 16 Rocky Mountain Rage @ Amarillo Gorillas
Saturday Feb. 17 New Mexico Scorpions @ Amarillo Gorillas
Thursday Feb. 22 Amarillo Gorillas @ Laredo Bucks
Saturday Feb. 24 Amarillo Gorillas @ Lubbock Cotton Kings
Sunday Feb. 25 Lubbock Cotton Kings @ Amarillo Gorillas
Tuesday Feb. 27 Amarillo Gorillas @ Odessa Jackalopes

Friday March 2 Amarillo Gorillas @ Rocky Mountain Rage
Sunday March 4 Amarillo Gorillas @ Wichita Thunder
Friday March 9 New Mexico Scorpions @ Amarillo Gorillas
Saturday March 10 Lubbock Cotton Kings @ Amarillo Gorillas
Sunday March 11 Arizona Sundogs @ Amarillo Gorillas
Wednesday March 14 Amarillo Gorillas @ Rocky Mountain Rage
Friday March 16 Oklahoma City Blazers @ Amarillo Gorillas
Saturday March 17 New Mexico Scorpions @ Amarillo Gorillas
Sunday March 18 Amarillo Gorillas @ Oklahoma City Blazers
Thursday March 22 Amarillo Gorillas @ Odessa Jackalopes
Saturday March 24 Amarillo Gorillas @ Lubbock Cotton Kings
Sunday March 25 Odessa Jackalopes @ Amarillo Gorillas

Season ticket packages and corporate sponsorships for the 2006-2007 season are available now! Individual game tickets, once they go on sale, can be purchased at the Gorillas Hockey Office, located at 1934 Civic Circle off of I-40 and Georgia, the Civic Center Box Office and all Panhandle Ticket Outlets. These include Randy's Music Mart, the West Texas Event Center in Canyon and United Supermarkets. Tickets can also be charged by phone at (806) 378-3096 or (806) 242-PUCK (7825).



Central Hockey League Stories from August 7, 2006


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