The Alberta Junior Hockey League schedule has been released outlining exhibition and regular season games for all 16 teams.
Hockey fans in Canada's Border City won't have to wait long to see the Bobcats in action on August 31st as the team will be in Bonnyville to take on the Pontiacs. Over the following 11 days, the Bobcats will play their five remaining pre-season games before the regular season gets underway on Friday, September 16th. As is tradition, Lloydminster will face the Pontiacs on opening weekend, and just like last season, the Bobcats will be on the road to start 2016 in Bonnyville.
The very next evening on Saturday, September 17th the Cats will play their first regular season home game at the Civic Center, kicking off the 35th consecutive season of Junior A hockey in Lloydminster.
One date every Bobcat fan will surely have circled on their calendar will be Friday, September 23rd at 7:30. This is the first time Lloydminster will see Spruce Grove after being eliminated by the Saints in last season's AJHL North Division Final.
During Thanksgiving weekend, the Bobcats begin their first real road swing when they face off in Fort McMurray on Friday, October 7th and Saturday the 8th, finally ending in Bonnyville on Sunday the 9th.
The team's next real road test comes when they begin an eight game stint from December 4th to December 21st. The Bobcats will start their run of games away from home in Drumheller, making stops in Canmore, Calgary, Grand Prairie, Whitecourt and finally ending 2016 in Sherwood Park. This means fans only have one chance in December to see the Bobcats on December 3rd.
When the team returns to the ice after the AJHL Christmas break, fans can catch the Bobcats at home on Friday, January 6th for the first time in 2017.
Other notable dates to highlight on the 2016-17 calendar are:
– September 29th – October 1st when the tenth annual AJHL Showcase gets underway in Camrose. The Bobcats will play two afternoon games during the showcase, with the first on the Friday at 4:30 p.m. vs. the Okotoks Oilers, then again the next day, Saturday October 1st at 1 p.m. vs. the Calgary Mustangs.
– The World Junior A Challenge is just up the road this year at the C2 Center in Bonnyville. Fans can catch the international tournament while the Bobcats are away from home.
– The AJHL’s third and most exciting season – the 2017 Gas Drive AJHL Playoffs – begins league-wide on Thursday March 9th, meaning if any AJHL games are to be made up, they will happen before this date.
– Another date fans may want to pay attention to will be the 10th of January. This is the Canadian Junior Hockey League Trade Deadline
Check out the complete Bobcats schedule!
**Bobcats season tickets are on-sale now! For more information, check out our website at Lloydminsterbobcats.ca.
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming part of the Bobcat family and would like to sponsor the team during our 35th anniversary season, make sure you contact us at bobcats@ajhl.com to discuss exciting opportunities for your brand!