AHL preseason schedule set

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today its composite 2007 preseason schedule, set to begin next week. The schedule comprises 38 games, to be played between Mon., Sept. 17 and Mon., Oct. 1.

The preseason kicks off next Monday when the Philadelphia Phantoms battle the Lowell Devils at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, N.J. The Quad City Flames get the first tune-up before their inaugural season on Sept. 26 when they visit Peoria; the Lake Erie Monsters debut on Sept. 27 against the Milwaukee Admirals; and the Rockford IceHogs hit the ice for the first time on Sept. 28 in Peoria.

The defending Calder Cup champion Hamilton Bulldogs have a three-game preseason slate, taking on North Division foes Toronto and Rochester.

Twenty-three of the 38 games on the AHL’s preseason schedule are set to be played at local community and neutral-site rinks.

The 2007 preseason will also feature four National Hockey League games played in AHL arenas. That schedule begins on Sept. 19, when the MTS Centre in Winnipeg hosts the Phoenix Coyotes and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Manchester’s Verizon Wireless Arena (Sept. 20, New Jersey vs. Boston), Lowell’s Tsongas Arena (Sept. 26, N.Y. Islanders vs. New Jersey) and Bridgeport’s Arena at Harbor Yard (Sept. 29, New Jersey vs. N.Y. Islanders) will also host NHL preseason action.

The American Hockey League’s 72nd regular season begins on Wed., Oct. 3, as 29 teams begin competition for the prestigious Calder Cup.

2007 AHL PRESEASON SCHEDULE
Mon., 9/17	Philadelphia vs. Lowell	Sovereign Bank Arena Trenton, N.J.	2:00 ET
Sat., 9/22	Hershey vs. W-B/Scranton	Wachovia Arena Wilkes-Barre, Pa.	7:05 ET
Mon., 9/24	Lowell vs. Philadelphia	Virtua Center Flyers Skate Zone Voorhees, N.J.	2:00 ET
Wed., 9/26	Hershey vs. Binghamton	Broome County Arena Binghamton, N.Y.	11:00 am ET
	Hartford vs. Bridgeport	Terry Conners Rink Stamford, Conn.	7:00 ET
	Springfield vs. Providence	Boss Ice Arena Kingston, R.I.	7:05 ET
	Toronto vs. Hamilton	Central Recreation Centre Burlington, Ont.	*7:00 ET
	Milwaukee vs. Chicago	Glacier Ice Arena Vernon Hills, Ill.	7:00 CT
	Quad City vs. Peoria	Carver Arena Peoria, Ill.	7:00 CT
Thu., 9/27	Lake Erie vs. Milwaukee	Mullett Ice Center Hartland, Wis.	7:00 CT
Fri., 9/28	Syracuse vs. Albany	*Houston Field House Troy, N.Y.	7:00 ET
	Providence vs. Bridgeport	The Rinks at Shelton Shelton, Conn.	7:00 ET
	Binghamton vs. W-B/Scranton	Wachovia Arena Wilkes-Barre, Pa.	7:05 ET
	Worcester vs. Springfield	MassMutual Center Springfield, Mass.	7:30 ET
	Hamilton vs. Rochester	ESL Sports Centre Rochester, N.Y.	7:35 ET
	Lake Erie vs. Chicago	Hoffman Estates Park District Ice Arena Hoffman Estates, Ill.	7:00 CT
	Toronto vs. Manitoba	Memorial Sports Centre Fort Frances, Ont.	7:00 CT
	Rockford vs. Peoria	Carver Arena Peoria, Ill.	7:00 CT
	Houston vs. San Antonio	Laredo Entertainment Center Laredo, Texas	7:30 CT
Sat., 9/29	Rochester vs. Hamilton	Hagersville Memorial Arena Hagersville, Ont.	4:00 ET
	Bridgeport vs. Lowell	Tsongas Arena Lowell, Mass.	6:05 ET
	Norfolk vs. Hershey	Giant Center Hershey, Pa.	7:00 ET
	Manchester vs. Portland	Cumberland County Civic Center Portland, Maine	7:00 ET
	Hartford vs. Springfield	MassMutual Center Springfield, Mass.	7:00 ET
	Albany vs. Syracuse	War Memorial at Oncenter Syracuse, N.Y.	*7:30 ET
	W-B/Scranton vs. Binghamton	Broome County Arena Binghamton, N.Y.	7:05 ET
	Worcester vs. Providence	New England Sports Center Marlborough, Mass.	7:05 ET
	San Antonio vs. Houston	Ford Arena Beaumont, Texas	7:00 CT
	Toronto vs. Manitoba	Recreation Complex Dryden, Ont.	7:00 CT
	Chicago vs. Milwaukee	Kern Center Milwaukee, Wis.	7:00 CT
	Peoria vs. Rockford	Carlson Arctic Ice Arena Loves Park, Ill	7:00 CT
	Iowa vs. Quad City	Quad City Sports Center Davenport, Iowa	7:30 CT
Sun., 9/30	Norfolk vs. Philadelphia	Polonia Bank Flyers Skate Zone Philadelphia, Pa.	1:30 ET
	Portland vs. Manchester	Notre Dame Arena Berlin, N.H.	3:00 ET
	Bridgeport vs. Hartford	Champions Skating Center Cromwell, Conn.	5:00 ET
	W-B/Scranton vs. Hershey	Giant Center Hershey, Pa.	5:00 ET
	Rochester vs. Syracuse	Campus Center Oswego, N.Y.	5:00 ET
Mon., 10/1	Quad City vs. Iowa	*95KGGO Arena Urbandale, Iowa	7:07 CT

*Revised 9/21/07