NAHL releases 2011-12 slate

PALMER — The Alaska Avalanche may have to wait about a month for the first home game of the 2011-12 season. But once the North American Hockey League squad hits the Palmer Ice Arena, local pucks fans will be treated to plenty of Junior A hockey action.

The Avs open their home schedule with a 10-game, 22-day homestand starting Oct. 14.

“I think that will be good. It will get the momentum going,” Avs general manager Andrew Good said.

That first homestand is a highlight of a regular-season schedule that includes 28 home games, 28 road games and four more at a neutral site. The home schedule starts with three against the Fresno Monsters, Oct. 14-16. The Avs host the defending NAHL West Division champion Fairbanks Ice Dogs for three, Oct. 20-22. The homestand ends with two-game sets against Wenatchee on back-to-back weeks.

The Avs 60-game regular season schedule starts with four games at the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minn. The Avs will meet Amarillo, Bismarck, Jamestown and St. Louis during the annual event.

The Showcase games are among eight straight road games that start the Avs’ season, and one of a handful of tricky pieces of the team’s schedule.

“It will be a challenge to hit the Showcase and hit the road running,” Good said.

Alaska’s longest road trip spans most of December and January, with 12 away games scheduled from Dec. 8, through Jan. 20, 2012. Alaska also has only two games during the entire month of February.

The slow February sets up a busy March, with 13 games in 31 days. Alaska will play seven games during the final 10 days of the regular season. The final stretch includes two-games series against Dawson Creek and Kenai River during a five-day span.

Of the 60 games, 56 will be against rivals in the NAHL West.

Alaska tied a franchise record for wins last season, with 32, and finished third in the NAHL West. Alaska advanced to the first-round of the league playoffs, but was swept out of the playoffs by Wenatchee.

A new regime will lead the Avs into the 2011-12 season. Former National League Hockey player and University of Minnesota star Corey Millen was named the team’s sixth head coach in franchise history in May. Last week, Good was announced as the new general manager.

The Avs will continue their offseason work at the Avalanche main hockey camp, July 15-17 in Andover, Minn.

Alaska Avalanche 2011-12 schedule

September

9-14 NAHL Showcase: Alaska vs. Amarillo, TBA

9-15 NAHL Showcase: Alaska. vs. Bismarck, TBA

9-16 NAHL Showcase: Alaska vs. Jamestown, TBA

9-17 NAHL Showcase: Alaska vs. St. Louis, TBA

9-23 Alaska at Wenatchee, 6:05 p.m.

9-24 Alaska at Wenatchee, 6:05 p.m.

9-30 Alaska at Kenai River, 7:30 p.m.

October

10-1 Alaska at Kenai River, 7:30 p.m.

10-14 Fresno at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

10-15 Fresno at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

10-16 Fresno at Alaska, 5 p.m.

10-20 Fairbanks at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

10-21 Fairbanks at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

10-22 Fairbanks at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

10-25 Wenatchee at Alaska, 7 p.m.

10-26 Wenatchee at Alaska, 7 p.m.

November

11-4 Wenatchee at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

11-5 Wenatchee at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

11-11 Alaska at Dawson Creek, 6 p.m.

11-12 Alaska at Dawson Creek, 6 p.m.

11-13 Alaska at Dawson Creek, 2 p.m.

11-18 Alaska at Fresno, 6:35 p.m.

11-19 Alaska at Fresno, 6:35 p.m.

11-20 Dawson Creek at Alaska, 7 p.m.

11-21 Dawson Creek at Alaska, 7 p.m.

11-22 Dawson Creek at Alaska, 7 p.m.

11-25 Alaska at Kenai River, 7:30 p.m.

11-26 Alaska at Kenai River, 7:30 p.m.

December

12-2 Kenai River at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

12-3 Kenai River at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

12-8 Alaska at Fairbanks, 7 p.m.

12-9 Alaska at Fairbanks, 7:30 p.m.

12-10 Alaska at Fairbanks, 7:30 p.m.

12-30 Alaska at Wenatchee, 6:05 p.m.

12-31 Alaska at Wenatchee, 6:05 p.m.

January

1-7 Alaska at Dawson Creek, 6 p.m.

1-8 Alaska at Dawson Creek, 2 p.m.

1-13 Alaska at Fresno, 6:35 p.m.

1-14 Alaska at Fresno, 6:35 p.m.

1-15 Alaska at Fresno, 6:05 p.m.

1-19 Alaska at Kenai River, 7:05 p.m.

1-20 Alaska at Kenai River, 7:30 p.m.

1-26 Fairbanks at Alaska, 7 p.m.

1-27 Fairbanks at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

1-28 Fairbanks at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

February

2-24 Kenai River at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

2-25 Kenai River at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

March

3-2 Alaska at Kenai River, 7:30 p.m.

3-3 Alaska at Kenai River, 7:30 p.m.

3-9 Fresno at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

3-10 Fresno at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

3-16 Kenai River at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

3-17 Kenai River at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

3-22 Alaska at Fairbanks, 7 p.m.

3-23 Alaska at Fairbanks, 7:30 p.m.

3-24 Alaska at Fairbanks 7:30 p.m.

3-27 Dawson Creek at Alaska, 7 p.m.

3-28 Dawson Creek at Alaska, 7 p.m.

3-30 Kenai River at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.

3-31 Kenai River at Alaska, 7:30 p.m.