Chirps from Center Ice

Good things come to those who wait. This afternoon, the AHL released its schedule for the 2012-2013 season. Click here for the league release, complete with links to all thirty teams schedules and a month by month breakdown.

I decided to shake things up this year in my own dissection and do a question and answer session regarding this year’s schedule. Here’s how it works, I ask the question and answer it. Here goes nothing:

Question # 1: Who is the first opponent the Penguins play this season?

Answer: The first opponent the Penguins will play this season will be the Binghamton Senators on Saturday October 13 at 7:05 at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, NY.

Question # 2: We know the Penguins home opener is on October 20. Who are they playing?

Answer: The Penguins open the doors of the Mohegan Sun Arena for their 14th season and welcome in the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at 7:05 p.m.

Question # 3: Are the Penguins playing any Western Conference teams this season?

Answer: Yes. The Rochester Americans and Toronto Marlies twice. One game on the road and one game at home.

Question # 4: How many games against in division foes will the Penguins play this year?

Answer: Hershey 12; Binghamton 10; Norfolk 8; Syracuse 8. They are split home and away.

Question # 5: What is the longest roadtrip of the season?

Answer: March 8 to March 20. They play seven on the road, all mainly in the Northeast.

Question # 6: When is the longest homestand of the season?

Answer: Five games from November 7 to November 16.

Question # 7: How many times do the Penguins play three games in three nights?

Answer: That will happen eight times this season, three times in October, once in January, three times in February and once in March.

Question # 8: The furthest in-division rival the Penguins play are the Norfolk Admirals. How are those away games against the Admirals set up for the Penguins this season?

Answer: They play in Norfolk January 15, February 18 and 19 and April 2. They have no game with anyone else before or after those dates.

Question # 9: How many times do the Penguins play each month?

Answer: The Penguins already beat me to this in their press release, but excuse me while I whip this nifty chart out.

Question # 10: That’s pretty impressive there, chart boy, let’s see you give me a weekly breakdown of Penguins games.

Answer: The Penguins already did that too! But since you asked nicely:

Question #11: Where is the All-Star Classic this year?

Answer: The All-Star Classic is in Providence, RI this season on January 27-28, 2013 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

Question # 12: How many times are all thirty AHL teams playing on the same night?

Answer: Three nights: Sat., Mar. 23, Fri., Apr. 19 and Sat., Apr. 20.

Question # 13: What’s the theme that the Penguins are going with this season?

Answer: They are going with “Experience the Excitement” this season. Click here for the printable schedule and a look at the logo.

Question # 14: Other than the game outdoors versus Hershey on January 20 at Hersheypark Stadium, do the Penguins play in any special venues?

Answer: Yes. They play in Atlantic City Sunday November 25 at 4 p.m. at Boardwalk Hall versus the Albany Devils and Friday February 22, 2013 at Wells Fargo Arena (home of the Philadelphia Flyers) vs. the Adirondack Phantoms at 7 p.m.

Question # 15: Are the Penguins doing a PensFest like they did last year?

Answer: They are. It is scheduled for Friday, September 7 at Coal Street.

Question # 16: When will the world famous Chirps from Center Ice AHL Team Previews be out this year?

Answer: Probably the first week of October. Stay tuned to the blog for more details!

Dissection complete for another year. If you have any questions, leave them in comments or hit me on Twitter or Facebook.

Can’t wait to get going. Let’s Go Pens!