Yesterday, the Ducks announced their 2008-2009 Schedule. As many of us know, the NHL is trying to round out the schedule a little more. This year, the Ducks will play every other opponent in the NHL. Games against division rivals have been reduced to 6 each in order to bring up the amount of inter-conference play to 18 games, and the 4 games against the other Western Conference teams remain the same. The three Eastern Conference teams that the Ducks face both home and away are the Rangers, the Hurricanes, and the Sabres.
The schedule starts with a very important sequence of games against division rivals, the hated Oilers, and, quite randomly, the Hurricanes. The start of any season is very important because it can set the tone for the rest of the season, but going against division rivals (and the hated Oilers) is exponentially more important. Every game against the Kings, Coyotes, Sharks, and Stars is a must-win, as each of those games is a four-point game when looking at the standings. However, on the brighter side of things, four of the first 6 games of the season are at home, and the two away games are short travels to San Jose and Los Angeles.
The Ducks have two lengthy stretches at home: a 6-game homestand in November, and a 5-game stretch in March. The one in March is a very fortunate and important one for them, as the season will be winding down and every point will count. The home advantage during this time will be very helpful facing the Stars, Wild, Canucks, Sharks, and Predators, all very competitive and dangerous Western Conference teams. Their longest road trip is in late-February, spilling into March.
This season, the Ducks have 17 sets of back-to-back games, one more than last season. Last year, they were 15-14-3, not terrible, but far from spectacular. However, these games will be excellent times to get young Jonas Hiller some more NHL experience in net.
The end of the season looks very similar to the start of the season: filled with division-rival games. I see April being a very exciting, nerve-wracking time, more so than usual. And, as we host Phoenix to open at home, it only seems fitting that we close the season as visitors in Arizona.
On a personal note, there are two games that I’m very happy about. First is the home opener, Sunday, October 12 against the Coyotes. Not only is this the home opener, but I will actually be in California visiting for the three-day weekend. So, with luck, I’ll be able to be there to welcome the boys back to the Honda Center. The second is Thursday, February 26 at Boston. Why is a game against the Bruins so exciting? Because I live in Boston, and for the past two years while attending Emerson, the Ducks have not been to Beantown. I fully intend to buy tickets right by the visiting team’s tunnel so I can cheer them on between periods and make sure they know they have a fan in the house.
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