Schedule alerts: Caps coming in preseason
Looks like release time for Wednesday's announcement of the 2009-10 NHL schedule will be at 3 p.m., after the league's 2 p.m. press conference to unveil the Winter Classic in Fenway Park (the expected foe for the Bruins is the Flyers). That gathering will be streamed on NHL.com.
Teams are responsible for their preseason schedules and there's no word yet from the Sabres on that front, but the Capitals have announced on their Web site they're meeting Buffalo twice in September, Sept 21 in Verizon Center and a date TBA in HSBC Arena. Would love to see Alexander Ovechkin an extra time but that's obviously a hit-and-miss proposition.The Red Wings revealed they're hosting the Sabres Sept. 19 in Joe Louis Arena.
The Toronto Globe and Mail adds these nuggets to the schedule release:
---The season is opening Oct. 1, a full week earlier than last year due to the Olympic break. Montreal at Toronto and Calgary and Vancouver will be slated for that night. Sabres are a big Friday night team, so I'm expecting a home/season opener on Friday, Oct. 2, with a road game on Saturday, Oct. 3
---The European games will be Oct. 2-3, with Detroit and St. Louis meeting in Stockholm and Florida. taking on Chicago in Helsinki.
---The Canadiens are going to play Ovechkin's Caps Nov. 21 or Nov. 28 in Olympic Stadium to commemorate their 100th anniversary. Huge crowd possible. Might top the 71,000-plus the Sabres drew to the Ralph.
Several other sources are reporting the Islanders will open the John Tavares era with an Oct. 3 home game against the Cup champion Penguins, the Red Wings will play their first home game against ex-teammate Marian Hossa and the Blackhawks on Oct. 8.
---Mike Harrington
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