The NHL schedule was released today. You can read the whole thing here, or check out some great TV schedule stuff at an awesome blog called Puck the Media (editor's a total headcase, though).
↵Here are some highlights:
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- It doesn't take long for the rivalries to renew: the Rangers visit the Island on Columbus Day (Oct. 11) for a special matinee tilt, and they host the Devils on October 24th. The Rangers visit Jersey for the first time November 5th, and the Islanders don't show up at the Garden until December 3rd. The Devils and Isles don't meet up until a matinee on the day after Thanksgiving. An interesting one to look for: Devils-Rangers at MSG the next-to-last day of the season, April 9th. ↵
- Champions: The Blackhawks come to the Garden on November 1st, while - in an odd scheduling quirk - the Devils visit Chicago November 3rd. The Isles see the Hawks in Chi-town January 9th. All three teams see the Eastern Confernece champion Flyers the customary six times. ↵
- Road Trips: The Islanders feature a tough five-game Western road swing Dec. 31 - Jan. 9, where they'll see Detroit, Calgary, Edmonton, Colorado and Chicago. The Rangers schedule isn't all that hard as far as trips out west, but they'll see Anaheim and San Jose on March 9th and 12th, and a four-game road swing that includes the Isles in late March. The Devils get stiffed with a six-game trip Oct. 24-Nov. 3 where they'll see the Rangers, all three California teams, Vancouver and Chicago. That one could be an early gamebreaker. ↵
- Westen Daily Double: The three teams from the other conference each of our locals will see twice are Dallas, Detroit and San Jose vs. the Devils; St. Louis, Colorado and Minnesota for the Blueshirts; Colorado, Anaheim and Los Angeles for the Isles. ↵
As always, for more on our hockey heroes, check out In Lou We Trust, Blueshirt Banter and Lighthouse Hockey.
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