Texas Tornado Announce 2006-07 Schedule
August 1, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release
Minneapolis, MN "" The North American Hockey League announced today the release of its 2006-07 regular season schedule. All 17 teams will kick off their seasons at the four-day NAHL Showcase Tournament September 13-16 at the Schwann's Super Rink in Blaine, Minn., with the final regular season game slated for April 1. With a greater emphasis on interdivisional play this season, each team will play 62 total games: 29 at home; 29 on the road; and four at the NAHL Showcase Tournament.
The Back-to-Back-to-Back NAHL National Champion Texas Tornado will open their 2006-07 regular season in Blaine, Minnesota against the Alexandria Blizzard of the NAHL Central Division on September 13th. Following the NAHL Showcase Tournament, the expansion Marquette Rangers open divisional play with a home-and-home series against Alpena Sept. 22-23, while the Texas Tornado begins defense of its third-straight NAHL title at Santa Fe on Sept. 22.
The Tornado home opener will be against NAHL South Division rival, the Santa Fe Roadrunners on October 6th and 7th at the Dr Pepper StarCenter in Frisco at 7:30pm both nights. During the Opening Night game, the Tornado will have a special ceremony to unveil and recognize the new National Championship banners won last season. "We believe we are playing in the toughest division in the NAHL," said Texas Tornado Head Coach and General Manager Tony Curtale. "With the addition of the two Alaska teams into the South Division this year, our fans should enjoy another very competitive season."
"We're looking forward to another exciting, competitive season," said NAHL interim commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. "Traditionally, there's great parity in our league and we're expecting more of the same this year." The league will be comprised of three divisions, with five teams in the North Division (Alpena, Mahoning Valley, Marquette, Traverse City, USA-17); six in the South (Alaska, Fairbanks, Texas, Santa Fe, St. Louis and Wichita Falls); and six in Central (Alexandria, Bismarck, Fargo-Moorhead, North Iowa, Southern Minnesota and Springfield). The 2007 NAHL Robertson Cup playoffs will feature two best-of-five series commencing the weekend following the conclusion of the regular season with the winner of the three divisions and the championship tournament host team vying for the Robertson Cup the first week of May.
The longest home stand of the season this season will be an 11-game stretch from October 26th "" November 25th. (Fairbanks 3, Alaska 2, St. Louis 2, Santa Fe 2, Springfield 1, and Wichita Falls 1). The Tornado open with the longest road trip of the season, playing 8 games away from the Deja Blue Arena from September 13th "" 30th. The Tornado will play 9 out of 11 games on the road from January 25th "" February 24th. The Tornado has 8 home games in the month of November and 7 home games in the month of March.
Notable Home Games Include: Opening Night and Banner Ceremony against the Santa Fe Roadrunners (October 6), Two weekends in a row against teams from the state of Alaska (October 26, 28, 29 and November 3, 4), three games during Thanksgiving weekend against Springfield (November 22) and Santa Fe (November 24 and 25), two games against Santa Fe during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend (January 12-13), the only two home games in February against Springfield (February 9, 10), and seven home games during the last month of the regular season in March, including the final regular season weekend against St. Louis (March 30-31).
Texas Tornado season tickets are on sale now, and include 30-game full season packages. Mini-plans, single game tickets, and a Tornado promotional schedule will be available shortly. For more information, please visit www.tornadohockey.com or call 972-335-9800.
North American Hockey League Stories from August 1, 2006
- IceDiggers announce training camp roster - Alpena IceDiggers
- Texas Tornado Announce 2006-07 Schedule - Texas Tornado
- NAHL releases 2006-07 schedule - NAHL
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