RoadRunners Release 2008-09 Schedule
April 30, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. - The Phoenix RoadRunners of the ECHL, a proud affiliate of the San Jose Sharks and Worcester Sharks, have announced their 72-game schedule for the upcoming 2008-09 season, their fourth as a member of the Premier 'AA' Hockey League. The entire 864-game league schedule was released earlier today at the ECHL offices in Princeton, N.J.
For a third consecutive year, the RoadRunners will commence their season at home when they welcome the West Division regular season champion Victoria Salmon Kings for a three-game Opening Weekend series beginning with the season opener Friday, Oct. 17 at US Airways Center. The three-game set will kick off a season-high six-game home-stand and a stretch of 16 out of the first 21 games on home ice through Dec. 9.
The RoadRunners will play 21 of their 36 home games on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Starting times for all home and away games will be announced at a later date.
For a second consecutive season, the 2008-09 schedule features strictly National Conference opponents with all 72 games played inside the conference, and 27 of those 72 games inside the current West Division. The RoadRunners will play every team in the National Conference at least six times.
Phoenix will get their first look at the ECHL's newest member, the Ontario (Calif.) Reign, when the two clubs engage in a home-and-home series Oct.31 at US Airways Center and Nov. 1 at Citizens Bank Arena. Ontario is the former Texas Wildcatters who posted a mark of 52-9-11 during the 2007-08 season and came within one point of matching the league's all-time record for highest regular season point total. The RoadRunners and Reign will play a total of 10 times during the 2008-09 season.
Phoenix will also face-off against the defending National Conference Champion Las Vegas Wranglers nine times beginning Nov. 3 at US Airways Center.
Began in 1988-89 with five teams playing in four states, the Premier 'AA' Hockey League has grown into a coast-to-coast league that will have 24 teams in 16 states and British Columbia playing 864 games from Oct. 17, 2008 to Apr. 4, 2009. Nineteen of the 24 teams have played at least five years in their current city.
The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,174 per game last season, marking the fourth year in a row and the 16th time in the last 18 years that the league has averaged over 4,000 fans.
The Premier 'AA' Hockey League welcomed 3,756,191 fans, marking the fifth straight season and the 11th time in the last 12 years that it has exceeded 3.75 million fans. The 51 sold out crowds are the most in the last five seasons and the mark the fourth time in the last five years that the ECHL has had at least 40 sellouts.
The conference and division alignments and the format for the 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs will be determined and approved at a later date by the ECHL Board of Governors.
The RoadRunners return to the ice at US Airways Center in October for their fourth season of ECHL hockey. Keep up with everything that's happening during the off-season from player signings and community appearances by logging on to www.phxroadrunners.com. Information on season tickets, half-season packages, and flex plans for the 2008-09 season of Phoenix RoadRunners Hockey are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.
2008-09 PHOENIX ROADRUNNERS SCHEDULE
(Dates are subject to change)
OCTOBER
Fri. 17 VICTORIA TBA
Sat. 18 VICTORIA TBA
Mon. 20 VICTORIA TBA
Wed. 22 IDAHO TBA
Fri. 24 IDAHO TBA
Fri. 31 ONTARIO TBA
NOVEMBER
Sat. 1 @ Ontario TBA
Mon. 3 LAS VEGAS TBA
Wed. 5 FRESNO TBA
Thu. 6 FRESNO TBA
Sat. 8 @ Las Vegas TBA
Fri. 14 @ Victoria TBA
Sat. 15 @ Victoria TBA
Tue. 18 LAS VEGAS TBA
Wed. 19 BAKERSFIELD TBA
Fri. 21 BAKERSFIELD TBA
Sat. 22 @ Bakersfield TBA
Sat. 29 LAS VEGAS TBA
DECEMBER
Wed. 3 LAS VEGAS TBA
Fri. 5 LAS VEGAS TBA
Tue. 9 ONTARIO TBA
Fri. 12 @ Victoria TBA
Sat. 13 @ Victoria TBA
Thu. 18 UTAH TBA
Fri. 19 UTAH TBA
Sat. 20 @ Ontario TBA
Fri. 26 @ Las Vegas TBA
Sat. 27 ONTARIO TBA
JANUARY
Fri. 2 @ Fresno TBA
Sat. 3 @ Fresno TBA
Tue. 6 STOCKTON TBA
Thu. 8 STOCKTON TBA
Fri. 9 @ Bakersfield TBA
Sat. 10 @ Fresno TBA
Wed. 14 ONTARIO TBA
Fri. 16 @ Bakersfield TBA
Sat. 17 BAKERSFIELD TBA
Sun. 18 BAKERSFIELD TBA
Fri. 23 @ Stockton TBA
Sat. 24 @ Fresno TBA
Sun. 25 @ Stockton TBA
Wed. 28 UTAH TBA
Fri. 30 UTAH TBA
FEBRUARY
Sun. 1 @ Stockton TBA
Wed. 4 @ Utah TBA
Fri. 6 @ Utah TBA
Sat. 7 @ Utah TBA
Fri. 13 @ Idaho TBA
Sat. 14 @ Idaho TBA
Mon. 16 @ Las Vegas TBA
Fri. 20 @ Ontario TBA
Sat. 21 ONTARIO TBA
Fri. 27 @ Ontario TBA
Sat. 28 @ Stockton TBA
MARCH
Tue. 3 STOCKTON TBA
Wed. 4 STOCKTON TBA
Fri. 6 FRESNO TBA
Sun. 8 FRESNO TBA
Mon. 9 FRESNO TBA
Wed. 11 @ Alaska TBA
Fri. 13 @ Alaska TBA
Sat. 14 @ Alaska TBA
Tue. 17 @ Las Vegas TBA
Thu. 19 ALASKA TBA
Fri. 20 ALASKA TBA
Sat. 21 @ Ontario TBA
Fri. 27 @ Bakersfield TBA
Sat. 28 ALASKA TBA
Mon. 30 BAKERSFIELD TBA
APRIL
Wed. 1 @ Idaho TBA
Fri. 3 @ Idaho TBA
Sat. 4 @ Idaho TBA
Home games in CAPS
Times to be announced at a later date
Daylight Savings ends on Nov. 2, 2008 and begins on Mar. 8, 2009
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