The British Columbia Hockey League is pleased to announce this season’s exhibition schedule which will include a total of 44 games in advance of the regular season opener Sept. 23.
Games commence the evening of Friday, August 26 with the Coquitlam Express hosting the Surrey Eagles at 7 p.m. Fans will get their first look at the Chilliwack Chiefs the following night when they host the Express.
Early September brings plenty of action in Trail when the Smoke Eaters play host to the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Brooks Bandits, the North American Hockey League’s (NAHL) Wenatchee Wild and the Powell River Kings in an invitational event Sept. 1 to 3.
“With our season starting two weeks later than usual, I’m sure our fans can’t wait for hockey to begin so this will give them a taste of what’s ahead in this, our 50th season,” said BCHL commissioner John Grisdale. “It’s not too long until the games start to count for real so players and coaches will be taking the exhibition season seriously.”
The Dawson Creek Rage of the NAHL and the Simon Fraser University Clan of the BC Intercollegiate Hockey League also feature in the exhibition schedule. The Rage visit the Prince George Spruce Kings Sept. 9 and then host them the next night. SFU visits Coquitlam Sept. 2, Merritt Sept. 9 and hosts the Langley Rivermen on Sept. 17.
The only BCHL inter-conference matchups are Sept. 2 when Trail hosts Powell River and Sept. 17 when the Penticton Vees host the Express.
