Texas Tornado Release 2011-12 Schedule
June 17, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release
FRISCO, TEXAS - (June 17, 2011) The Texas Tornado announced today the club's 60-game regular season schedule for the 2011-12 North American Hockey League (NAHL) season. The Texas Tornado regular season home opener is scheduled for Friday, September 30th against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs, the defending Robertson Cup Champions. The Tornado regular season begins with the annual NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minnesota, September 14-17. At the Showcase, the Tornado will face the Traverse City North Stars, Alexandria Blizzard, Janesville Jets and Aberdeen Wings at the four-day event.
24 of the 28 home games at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco, will be played on the weekend (Friday, Saturday or Sunday), making it a very family-friendly schedule for sports fans in North Texas. "I think the schedule is very balanced and features some great rivalries our fans have become accustomed to," said Texas Tornado Head Coach and General Manager Tony Curtale. "After the showcase, nine of our first 12 regular season games will be at home, so we will have to be playing well right from the start."
Last season, the Tornado got a slow start out of the gate, going just 2-2-3 in their first seven games. The Tornado then rattled of a 15-game winning streak, the longest in the NAHL last season. "We have some exciting and competitive games to start the season, including a good rival in Fairbanks for our home opening weekend," said Curtale. "They are the defending Robertson Cup Champions and they beat us twice in Frisco last season, so hopefully we can get a little revenge come late September."
Highlights from the Tornado home schedule include eight home games in the month of October including two against South Division rival Topeka on October 15th and 16th. The Tornado host the New Mexico Mustangs four times in October and then will host the Odessa Jackalopes for the first time ever on the night before Thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 23rd. The annual Frisco Skate with Santa weekend will take place on December 9th-10th against the Corpus Christi Ice Rays.
The Tornado open 2012 with a four-game homestand including games against Corpus Christi, Odessa and Wichita Falls. The home schedule continues with eight exciting games in the months of February and March, including the regular season finale on March 30th and 31st against Corpus Christi. The 2012 Robertson Cup playoffs will continue in April and conclude in Frisco, May 3rd-8th as the Texas Tornado play host to the Robertson Cup NAHL National Championship tournament. As the host, the Tornado will receive an automatic bid to the tournament.
The Texas Tornado, proud members of the 28-team North American Hockey League, play at the state-of-the-art Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco, which now offers more seating, more amenities and more great action featuring the players that are the future of hockey. Season Tickets for the 2011- 2012 season tickets are now on sale, starting as low as $80, and the Tornado will be hosting the 2012 NAHL National Championship Robertson Cup Tournament. Since their inception in 1999, the Texas Tornado has set the standard for excellence for hockey for players ages 21 and under in the United States. Besides their three straight National Championships from 2004-2006, the Tornado has won seven NAHL Regular Season Division titles and had seven straight 40+ win seasons from 1999-2007. Since 1999, the Tornado have developed and moved on over 120 players in ten years onto NHL, NCAA and professional teams.
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North American Hockey League Stories from June 17, 2011
- Monsters Release NAHL '11-'12 Season Schedule - Fresno Monsters
- Bobcats Announce 2011-12 Schedule - Bismarck Bobcats
- Texas Tornado Release 2011-12 Schedule - Texas Tornado
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- Jackalopes Unveil Schedule for 15th Season - Odessa Jackalopes
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