The Cowichan Valley Capitals have announced their exhibition schedule leading up to the 2018-19 B.C. Hockey League season.
The Caps will play three home games at the Island Savings Centre, and two games on the road, all against Island Division rivals.
The preseason slate begins on Saturday, Aug. 25, when the Caps host the Powell River Kings at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, Aug. 28, Cowichan hosts the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at 7 p.m. in the first half of a home-and-home series. The Caps and Bulldogs will meet again at Port Alberni’s Weyerhauser Arena the next night.
Another home-and-home will take place on Friday, Aug. 31 and Saturday, Sept. 1 as the Caps take on the Victoria Grizzlies. The teams will square off at the Island Savings Centre on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m., and again at the Sooke Arena at 2 p.m. the next day.
The Caps will begin their first training camp under new head coach Mike Vandekamp later this month, with a lot of empty spots to fill in the lineup. Only six players from 2017-18 — forwards Caleb Franklin, Brendan Cherwalk, Cole Broadhurst and Hugh Larkin, and defencemen Boo Grist and Marshall Skapski — remain on the roster, and Vandekamp has made several trades and new signings since he was hired to guide the team in April.
Cowichan’s home opener is set for Sept. 7, when they host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at 6 p.m. Vandekamp will make his first return to Nanaimo the next night, to face his former team, the Clippers.