AHL RELEASES SCHEDULE FORMAT FOR 2004-05

Aeros to play in-state rival San Antonio 12 times

Houston, Texas – The American Hockey League announced its 2004-05 regular season schedule format Tuesday, and Houston’s 12 matchups (six home, six road) with in-state rival San Antonio highlight the 80-game schedule.

The Aeros will play 30 of their 40 home games and 60 of their 80 overall games against their division foes – Chicago, Cincinnati, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, San Antonio and Utah. Houston will play 10 games (five home, five road) versus Chicago, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee and Utah, while the Aeros will take on Cincinnati eight times (four home, four road).

Houston’s non-division schedule will remain the same from the 2003-04 season. At home, Houston will play Hartford, Worcester, Rochester and Syracuse once, and Norfolk, Cleveland and Manitoba twice. The Aeros will also make return trips to each of those cities to complete the 80-game schedule.

The AHL’s 69th season will once again comprise a total of 1,120 games, with each of the league’s 28 member teams playing an unbalanced 80-game schedule, including 40 home dates and 40 road dates and featuring traditional and regional rivalries.

The regular season will begin on Wed., Oct. 13, and conclude on Sun., Apr. 17.

The frequency of games between opponents can be found by clicking here, and the entire 2004-05 schedule is expected to be announced later this month.

Entering its 69th season this fall, the AHL serves as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. The 2003-04 season saw 28 teams compete for the coveted Calder Cup, and more than 6.6 million fans attending AHL games across North America for the third straight year. Over 80 percent of all players to compete in the NHL in 2003-04 were AHL graduates, and more than 400 players took the ice in both leagues.