The puck will drop at the Island Savings Centre on Friday, Sept. 11 as the Cowichan Valley Capitals play host to the Victoria Grizzlies in their 2015/16 B.C. Hockey League home opener.
Unlike in the last few seasons, when all BCHL teams have started the year at the Bauer Showcase in Chilliwack, this year, they will have a few weeks to work up to that point as the Showcase will take place in late September.
BCHL teams will play 58 regular-season games this year: 28 at home, 28 on the road and two at the Showcase.
Including the season opener, the Caps will play three home games before the Showcase, hosting the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Sept. 12 and the Powell River Kings on Sept. 18.
The Caps will play their first game against the BCHL's newest entry, the Wenatchee Wild, on Friday, Dec. 11. Their lone visit to Washington will come on Feb. 20 as part of a threegame Mainland Division road trip.
I n cluding the Showcase, when they play the West Kelowna Warriors on Sept. 26 and the Vernon Vipers on Sept. 27, the Caps will play five consecutive games with non-division opponents as they travel on to Prince George, Coquitlam and Langley in early October.
Of the Caps' 28 home dates, 20 are on Friday or Saturday nights, three are on Wednesday evenings, two are on Tuesdays, and there are three Sunday afternoon games.
The regular season will wrap up with a home-and-home series against the Nanaimo Clippers on Feb. 26 and 27, and the playoffs are scheduled to begin on March 4.