2010-2011 Schedule is here!

Finally the AHL released the 2010-11 schedule. You can find Hershey's entire schedule by clicking on this link. Or head over to the AHL site and find it there.

It is a fairly favorable schedule for the Bears to be honest. There are really only 2 tough road trips (as far as travel is concerned anyways) and multiple home stretches where Hershey is basically at home (save a couple trips to New York) for weeks at a time.

Some thoughts:

• Hershey starts the season on the road with 3 straight road games beginning in Wilkes Barre on October 9th.
  
• There are 15 different 3 in 3 weekends and 5 of those are parts of 4 in 5's. That seems like a lot to me but looking at last years schedule it is actually the same 3 in 3 and one less 4 in 5.
• Brutal stretch from March 5 to the 13th. In those 9 days Hershey plays 7 games including their longest road stretch of the season, 4 games. That trip in total will be almost 12oo miles on the road and will go from Hershey (2 home games) to Portland, Worcester, Hartford, and Adirondack before returning to Hershey for 2 more home games.
• Another tough road stretch...February 9 to the 19th. It begins in Manchester on a Wednesday, heads to Providence on Friday, back in Hershey on Saturday, Wilkes Barre on Sunday, to Norfolk on Tuesday, Rochester on Friday before returning to Hershey for Saturday/Sunday home games.

On the good side...

• 2 nice home stretches: January 25 thru February 6 will see Hershey play 8 home games (including 4 straight) with 3 short road trips to New York thrown in. That stretch also includes the AHL All Star game in Hershey.
  
• The other is over Christmas...December 18 to January 2nd where they get 6 at home, including another 4 straight, with only a trip to Pittsburgh to play the Penguins at the new arena on the 30th thrown into the mix.
• Unlike last year Hershey finishes the season at home with 6 of their last 10 games in Hershey.
• The 2 games against Rochester (10/10 and 10/16) will feature throw back uniforms from way back. That will be cool.

And in case you have forgotten...Hershey will host the 2010-11 AHL All Star game and Festivities on January 30-31. This years game finally sees a return to the East vs West format instead of the previously used Canada vs World.

Definitely should be an exciting season. Rookie camp opens in the next few weeks in Washington.