For the fourth time since the Avalanche moved to Denver, it will open the regular season against the team it eliminated in the previous season’s playoffs, this time the Dallas Stars.
The Avalanche’s 2006-07 schedule was released Wednesday, with an Oct. 4 game against Dallas at the Pepsi Center kicking off the season.
In the 82-game schedule, only 10 games will be against Eastern Conference teams. The Avs will play each team from the NHL’s Northeast Division on the road, and each team from the Southeast Division at home, including a Dec. 11 game against the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Otherwise, the Avs will play their usual slate of eight games against Northwest Division opponents, and four games against every other Western Conference opponent.
Included in the schedule are sets of back-to-back road games against Calgary (Feb. 15 and 17) and Edmonton (March 21 and 23).
The regular season ends with an April 7 home game against the Nashville Predators. The Avs’ first home game against longtime rival Detroit is Jan. 9.
Seventy-five of Colorado’s games will be at night. Thirty of the games will be on either a Saturday or Sunday.
Colorado’s preseason schedule starts Sept. 19 at the Pepsi Center, also against Dallas. Included in the preseason schedule is a game against Los Angeles at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 23.
The complete local and national broadcast schedule, including Altitude Sports & Entertainment telecasts, information regarding the on-sale dates for Avalanche preseason and regular-season tickets, and Burgundy/White Game details will be released later.
A fab five games for the Avs
Games to watch in the 2006-07 season:
OCT. 4, DALLAS
Opening night is always fun, and a contest against the team it knocked off in the playoffs should make for a good game.
OCT. 21, AT MONTREAL
Perhaps it will be a goaltending matchup of Jose Theodore for the Avs against the player he was traded for, David Aebischer. No word if Paris Hilton has already requested tickets.
NOV. 22, ANAHEIM
The Avs get a chance to knock off the team that swept them from the playoffs. With Chris Pronger now a Duck, it doesn’t figure to be easy.
JAN. 9, DETROIT
It’s still an event when the Red Wings come to town. Question is, will it be Ed Belfour or Dominik Hasek in goal for the Wings?
FEB. 6, FLORIDA
Todd Bertuzzi is now a Panther, so Avs fans can look forward to this date to rest their vocal cords and boo the former Canucks villain.
-Adrian Dater
