The BCHL and the Merritt Centennials announced the 2016-17 regular season schedule today.
The Cents 44th BCHL regular season opens on Friday, September 9th in Prince George and wraps up a little over six months later on Friday, February 24th in Merritt against the defending RBC Cup Champion West Kelowna Warriors.
Once again this season, the Centennials will play 58 regular season games – 28 at home, 28 on the road and two at the 2016 Bauer BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack.
Merritt plays Interior Division rivals Penticton, Salmon Arm, Trail, and West Kelowna each seven times, and Vernon six times.
Mainland Division teams Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Langley, Prince George, Surrey, and Wenatchee, along with Island Division teams Alberni Valley, Cowichan, Nanaimo, Powell River, and Victoria, will each visit the Nicola Valley once and host the Centennials on one occassion. Merritt’s two games at the Bauer BCHL Showcase are against Prince George and Cowichan.
The Centennials play only one home game in September – their home opener on Friday, September 16th versus Trail – and only two of their final eight games on home ice. There is a stretch of six straight home games from late January to early February and a four game homestand in October.
Merritt plays no fewer than six home-and-home series this coming season, highlighted by two doubleheaders against Trail – in September and February – and two against West Kelowna – in December and January. Other two-pack opponents are Penticton in October and Salmon Arm in November.
The Cents have a 12-day hiatus for the Christmas break. Their last game before the break is at home against Langley on Saturday, December 17 and their first game back from the break is Friday, December 30 in Penticton.
Merritt’s longest stretch of away from home is five, which happens twice. From September 17 – 30, the Cents visit Trail, West Kelowna, Salmon Arm, and play two games in Chilliwack for the Showcase. In a tighter span of ten days, from October 28 – November 6, the Cents play on the road in Wenatchee, Vernon, Powell River, Alberni Valley, and Nanaimo.
Of the Cents 28 home games, ten are on a Friday, ten on a Saturday, and four on a Sunday afternoon. The remaining home games are on Tuesdays (1) and Wednesdays (3).
Other important dates on the Junior A calendar in the coming season include:
– The World Junior A Challenge (WJAC), Dec. 11 to 17 in Bonnyville, Alta.
– Junior hockey roster deadline, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017
– RBC Cup national championship, May 13 to 21 in Cobourg, Ont.
