The Utica Comets and the American Hockey League have announced their 2016-17 regular season schedule. The fourth season of Comets hockey will begin with a Saturday-Sunday weekend series in Toronto when they face the Marlies on Oct. 15 at 1p.m., and Oct. 16 at 5p.m.
Opening weekend in Utica will kick-off with an intra-division rivalry showdown when the Binghamton Senators visit The AUD on Wednesday, Oct. 26. It will continue with a Friday night contest against the Providence Bruins on Oct. 28.
The Comets 2016-17 season will see the team play two games in NHL arenas. On Saturday, Nov. 26, the Comets and Marlies will play at the Air Canada Centre, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Puck drop is scheduled for 1:30p.m. On Wednesday, Feb. 22, the Amerks and the Comets will square off at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY. Puck drop at the home of the Buffalo Sabres is scheduled for 7:05p.m.
This season the Comets will once again host theme nights such as Pink the Rink, Military Night, and Clinton Comets Appreciation Night. Dates and details for these nights will be announced at a future date.
Utica will once again have a fan-friendly schedule with 26 of their 38 home games occurring on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. This year’s schedule provides Comets fans with the opportunity to see the other 13 teams in the Eastern Conference play against the Comets this season including the AHL’s newest team, the Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida Panthers), who will make their first visit to The AUD on Friday, Nov. 18. A new rule for this season will provide Comets fans the opportunity to see all three of the Comets sweaters at The AUD. After the league-mandated Christmas break (Dec. 22-25), teams will don their dark sweaters in their home arenas. Prior to the break, teams will wear their traditional white jerseys at home.
The growing rivalry with the Syracuse Crunch will reach a new level this season with 12 meetings between the two clubs. The first game in the Galaxy Cup rivalry will take place in Syracuse on Oct. 22, at 7p.m. The Crunch are scheduled to make their first visit to Utica on Wednesday, Nov. 23. All-time the Comets possess an 11-6-2-1 record against their closest rival, and have captured The Galaxy Cup in all three years.
