The Hull Stingrays will begin their 2013/2014 Elite Ice Hockey League campaign on Saturday 7th September against reigning Elite League, Challenge Cup and Playoff champions the Nottingham Panthers it was revealed today.
Meanwhile, the club also announced today pre-season fixtures against Elite League rivals the Coventry Blaze and the English Premier League's Sheffield Steeldogs.
Unsurprisingly, upon announcing the 13/14 fixture list, the Elite League confirmed that they would continue with last season's preferred two-conference format with every team playing sides in their own conference four times home and away, and sides in the opposing conference twice home and away.
The Challenge Cup format also remains unchanged with the Stingrays again in Group B alongside the Cardiff Devils, Coventry Blaze, Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers - whom they will play once home and away.
The Rays will open and close their pre-season preparations against Mathias Soderstrom's Coventry side on Wednesday 28th August (Coventry Skydome) and Wednesday 4th September (Hull Arena) respectively, with games against Andre Payette's second tier Steeldogs side sandwiched inbetween on Thursday 29th August (Ice Sheffield) and Sunday 1st September (Hull Arena).
Three days after their final warm-up fixture on Saturday 7th September, the Stingrays will travel to Nottingham to open up the regular season in the toughest possible fashion against the 12/13 treble winners and 13/14 favourites for the title, the Nottingham Panthers.
Sylvain Cloutier's side follow up that baptism of fire with their first home fixture of the regular season against the Braehead Clan in Ryan Finnety's second game as head coach.
The club's tough start to the season doesn't end there though as they face Erhardt Conference sides five times in their opening seven games in September - thanks mostly to to their grouping in the Challenge Cup, which admittedly brings other advantages.
Their challenge for the Gardiner Conference kicks in during October with six of their eight fixtures against conference rivals and it continues in November and December as they meet Erhardt Conference sides just four times in 17 games.
Once again, Stingrays will travel to Scotland - where they really struggled on their travels last term - on 14 occasions including two weekends north of the border on 7th and 8th December against Fife and Edinburgh, and 11th and 12th January against Braehead and Edinburgh.
By 12th October's meeting with the Fife Flyers, the club will have faced every Elite League side.
Other notable weekends include home and home weekends against the Dundee Stars (5/6 October), Edinburgh Capitals (26/27 October) and Coventry Blaze (2/3 November).
In the final five weeks of the season the Stingrays will face-off against the Dundee Stars and Sheffield Steelers three times apiece, ending the regular season on Sunday 23rd March at the Hull Arena against their Yorkshire rivals Sheffield.
Meanwhile, as far as the home fixture breakdown is concerned, the Saturday night is most certainly hockey night in Hull this season with 16 Saturday night face-off's, ten on Sunday and four on Wednesday.
Wed 28th - Coventry Blaze (A) - PS
Thu 29th - Sheffield Steeldogs (A) - PS
Sun 1st - Sheffield Steeldogs (H) - PS
Wed 4th - Coventry Blaze (H) - PS
Sat 7th - Nottingham Panthers (A) - L/CC
Sun 8th - Braehead Clan (H) - L
Sun 15th - Cardiff Devils (H) - CC
Wed 18th - Sheffield Steelers (A) - CC
Sat 21st - Edinburgh Capitals (H) - L
Sun 22nd - Coventry Blaze (A) - CC
Sun 29th - Belfast Giants (H) - L
Sat 5th - Dundee Stars (H) - L
Sun 6th - Dundee Stars (A) - L
Sat 12th - Fife Flyers (A) - L
Sun 13th - Nottingham Panthers (H) - CC
Sat 19th - Dundee Stars (H) L
Sat 26th - Edinburgh Capitals (A) L
Sun 27th - Edinburgh Capitals (H) - L
Thu 31th - Cardiff Devils (A) - CC
Sat 2nd - Coventry Blaze (H) - CC
Sun 3rd - Coventry Blaze (A) - L
Sat 9th - Belfast Giants (H) - L
Sun 10th - Cardiff Devils (A) - L
Sat 16th - Braehead Clan (A) - L
Sat 23th - Cardiff Devils (H) - L
Sun 24th - Edinburgh Capitals (A) - L
Sat 30th - Sheffield (H) - CC
Sun 1st - Braehead Clan (H) - L
Sat 7th - Fife Flyers (A) - L
Sun 8th - Edinburgh Capitals(A) - L
Thu 12th - Dundee Stars (A) - L
Sat 14th - Edinburgh Capitals (H) - L
Sat 21st - Nottingham Panthers (H) - L
Sun 22nd - Fife Flyers (A) - L
Sat 28th Edinburgh Capitals (H) - L
Mon 30th - Belfast Giants (A) - L
Thu 2nd - Sheffield Steelers (A) - L
Sat 4th - Coventry Blaze (A) - L
Sun 5th - Fife Flyers (H) - L
Sat 11th - Braehead Clan (A) - L
Sun 12th - Edinburgh Capitals (A) - L
Wed 15th - Braehead Clan (H) - L
Sat 18th - Dundee Stars (H) - L
Sat 25th - Coventry Blaze (H) - L
Sun 26th Nottingham Panthers (A) - L
Wed 29th - Braehead Clan (A) - L
Sat 1st - Fife Flyers (H) - L
Sun 2nd: Cardiff Devils (A) - L
Wed 5th - Fife Flyers (H) - L
Fri 7th - Belfast Giants (A) - L
Sun 9th - Nottingham Panthers (H) - L
Wed 12th - Braehead Clan (A) - L
Sat 15th - Cardiff Devils (H) - L
Sun 16th - Fife Flyers (A) - L
Wed 19th - Braehead Clan (H) - L
Sun 23rd - Dundee Stars (A) - L
Sat 1st - Dundee Stars (H) - L
Sat 8th - Sheffield Steelers (H) - L
Wed 12th - Fife Flyers (H) - L
Sat 15th - Dundee Stars (A) - L
Sun 16th - Sheffield Steelers (A) - L
Sun 23th - Sheffield Steelers (H) - L
Unsurprisingly, upon announcing the 13/14 fixture list, the Elite League confirmed that they would continue with last season's preferred two-conference format with every team playing sides in their own conference four times home and away, and sides in the opposing conference twice home and away.
The Challenge Cup format also remains unchanged with the Stingrays again in Group B alongside the Cardiff Devils, Coventry Blaze, Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers - whom they will play once home and away.
The Rays will open and close their pre-season preparations against Mathias Soderstrom's Coventry side on Wednesday 28th August (Coventry Skydome) and Wednesday 4th September (Hull Arena) respectively, with games against Andre Payette's second tier Steeldogs side sandwiched inbetween on Thursday 29th August (Ice Sheffield) and Sunday 1st September (Hull Arena).
Three days after their final warm-up fixture on Saturday 7th September, the Stingrays will travel to Nottingham to open up the regular season in the toughest possible fashion against the 12/13 treble winners and 13/14 favourites for the title, the Nottingham Panthers.
Sylvain Cloutier's side follow up that baptism of fire with their first home fixture of the regular season against the Braehead Clan in Ryan Finnety's second game as head coach.
The club's tough start to the season doesn't end there though as they face Erhardt Conference sides five times in their opening seven games in September - thanks mostly to to their grouping in the Challenge Cup, which admittedly brings other advantages.
Their challenge for the Gardiner Conference kicks in during October with six of their eight fixtures against conference rivals and it continues in November and December as they meet Erhardt Conference sides just four times in 17 games.
Once again, Stingrays will travel to Scotland - where they really struggled on their travels last term - on 14 occasions including two weekends north of the border on 7th and 8th December against Fife and Edinburgh, and 11th and 12th January against Braehead and Edinburgh.
Other notable weekends include home and home weekends against the Dundee Stars (5/6 October), Edinburgh Capitals (26/27 October) and Coventry Blaze (2/3 November).
In the final five weeks of the season the Stingrays will face-off against the Dundee Stars and Sheffield Steelers three times apiece, ending the regular season on Sunday 23rd March at the Hull Arena against their Yorkshire rivals Sheffield.
Meanwhile, as far as the home fixture breakdown is concerned, the Saturday night is most certainly hockey night in Hull this season with 16 Saturday night face-off's, ten on Sunday and four on Wednesday.
Hull Stingrays Fixture List - Elite Ice Hockey League 13/14
August 2013
2 Pre-season
2 Away
1 Erhardt Conference, 1 EPL
Wed 28th - Coventry Blaze (A) - PS
Thu 29th - Sheffield Steeldogs (A) - PS
September
2 Pre-season, 3 League, 3 Challenge Cup, 1 League/Challenge Cup
5 Home, 3 Away
1 EPL, 6 Erhardt Conference, 2 Gardiner Conference
Wed 4th - Coventry Blaze (H) - PS
Sat 7th - Nottingham Panthers (A) - L/CC
Sun 8th - Braehead Clan (H) - L
Sun 15th - Cardiff Devils (H) - CC
Wed 18th - Sheffield Steelers (A) - CC
Sat 21st - Edinburgh Capitals (H) - L
Sun 22nd - Coventry Blaze (A) - CC
Sun 29th - Belfast Giants (H) - L
October
6 League, 2 Challenge Cup
4 Home, 4 Away
6 Gardiner Conference, 2 Erhardt Conference
Sat 5th - Dundee Stars (H) - L
Sun 6th - Dundee Stars (A) - L
Sat 12th - Fife Flyers (A) - L
Sun 13th - Nottingham Panthers (H) - CC
Sat 19th - Dundee Stars (H) L
Sat 26th - Edinburgh Capitals (A) L
Sun 27th - Edinburgh Capitals (H) - L
Thu 31th - Cardiff Devils (A) - CC
November
6 League, 2 Challenge Cup
4 Home, 4 Away
6 Gardiner Conference, 2 Erhardt Conference
Sat 2nd - Coventry Blaze (H) - CC
Sun 3rd - Coventry Blaze (A) - L
Sat 9th - Belfast Giants (H) - L
Sun 10th - Cardiff Devils (A) - L
Sat 16th - Braehead Clan (A) - L
Sat 23th - Cardiff Devils (H) - L
Sun 24th - Edinburgh Capitals (A) - L
Sat 30th - Sheffield (H) - CC
December
9 League
4 Home, 5 Away
7 Gardiner Conference, 2 Erhardt Conference
Sun 1st - Braehead Clan (H) - L
Sat 7th - Fife Flyers (A) - L
Sun 8th - Edinburgh Capitals(A) - L
Thu 12th - Dundee Stars (A) - L
Sat 14th - Edinburgh Capitals (H) - L
Sat 21st - Nottingham Panthers (H) - L
Sun 22nd - Fife Flyers (A) - L
Sat 28th Edinburgh Capitals (H) - L
Mon 30th - Belfast Giants (A) - L
January 2014
10 League
4 Home, 6 Away
6 Gardiner Conference, 4 Erhardt Conference
Thu 2nd - Sheffield Steelers (A) - L
Sat 4th - Coventry Blaze (A) - L
Sun 5th - Fife Flyers (H) - L
Sat 11th - Braehead Clan (A) - L
Sun 12th - Edinburgh Capitals (A) - L
Wed 15th - Braehead Clan (H) - L
Sat 18th - Dundee Stars (H) - L
Sat 25th - Coventry Blaze (H) - L
Sun 26th Nottingham Panthers (A) - L
Wed 29th - Braehead Clan (A) - L
February
10 League
5 Home, 5 Away
6 Gardiner Conference, 4 Erhardt Conference
Sat 1st - Fife Flyers (H) - L
Sun 2nd: Cardiff Devils (A) - L
Wed 5th - Fife Flyers (H) - L
Fri 7th - Belfast Giants (A) - L
Sun 9th - Nottingham Panthers (H) - L
Wed 12th - Braehead Clan (A) - L
Sat 15th - Cardiff Devils (H) - L
Sun 16th - Fife Flyers (A) - L
Wed 19th - Braehead Clan (H) - L
Sun 23rd - Dundee Stars (A) - L
March
6 League
4 Home, 2 Away
3 Gardiner Conference, 3 Erhardt Conference
Sat 1st - Dundee Stars (H) - L
Sat 8th - Sheffield Steelers (H) - L
Wed 12th - Fife Flyers (H) - L
Sat 15th - Dundee Stars (A) - L
Sun 16th - Sheffield Steelers (A) - L
Sun 23th - Sheffield Steelers (H) - L
