Smoke Eaters Release 2011-12 Schedule

The Trail Smoke Eaters and the BCHL have released the schedule for the 2011-12 regular season. It's the league's 50th anniversary according to this release and will open with 14 of the league's 16 teams in action on Friday, September 23rd. The Smokies will hit the ice at the Cominco Arena that night in the first of an opening-weekend double-header with the Westside Warriors, who have knocked Trail out of the playoffs each of the last three seasons. The Smokies' 60-game schedule will conclude on Sunday, March 11th in Chilliwack.

With this season's adoption of a half-interlock schedule, the Smokies will not host four Coastal Conference teams (those being Cowichan Valley, Langley, Powell River and Surrey). Fans in Trail will get to see Alberni Valley, Coquitlam, Nanaimo, Victoria and the entire Interior Conference lineup as part of a 30-game home schedule.

Here's a look at the Smoke Eaters' 2011-12 season schedule, broken down by month:

SEPTEMBER (4)
Fri. Sep. 23 vs. Westside Warriors, 7:30
Sat. Sep. 24 vs. Westside Warriors, 7:30
Wed. Sep. 28 vs. Merritt Centennials, 7:30
Fri. Sep. 30 @ Merritt Centennials, 7:30

OCTOBER (10)
Sat. Oct. 1 @ Penticton Vees, 7:00
Fri. Oct. 7 vs. Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 7:30
Sat. Oct. 8 @ Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 7:00
Fri. Oct. 14 @ Prince George Spruce Kings, 7:00
Sat. Oct. 15 @ Prince George Spruce Kings, 7:00
Wed. Oct. 19 vs. Penticton Vees, 7:30
Sat. Oct. 22 vs. Vernon Vipers, 7:30
Fri. Oct. 28 @ Chilliwack Chiefs, 7:00
Sat. Oct. 29 @ Powell River Kings, 7:30
Sun. Oct. 30 @ Cowichan Valley Capitals, 3:30

NOVEMBER (11)
Fri. Nov. 4 vs. Vernon Vipers, 7:30
Sat. Nov. 5 @ Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 7:00
Sun. Nov. 6 @ Westside Warriors, 2:30
Wed. Nov. 9 @ Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 7:00
Fri. Nov. 11 vs. Penticton Vees, 7:30
Sat. Nov. 12 vs. Vernon Vipers, 7:30
Wed. Nov. 16 @ Penticton Vees, 7:00
Sun. Nov. 20 vs. Penticton Vees, 3:00
Fri. Nov. 25 @ Westside Warriors, 7:00
Sat. Nov. 26 vs. Westside Warriors, 7:30
Wed. Nov. 30 vs. Merritt Centennials, 7:30

DECEMBER (8)
Fri. Dec. 2 vs. Chilliwack Chiefs, 7:30
Sat. Dec. 3 vs. Chilliwack Chiefs, 7:30
Thu. Dec. 8 @ Vernon Vipers, 7:00
Fri. Dec. 9 @ Chilliwack Chiefs, 7:00
Sat. Dec. 10 @ Merritt Centennials, 7:30
Fri. Dec. 16 @ Vernon Vipers, 7:00
Sat. Dec. 17 vs. Nanaimo Clippers, 7:30
Fri. Dec. 30 @ Prince George Spruce Kings, 7:00

JANUARY (10)
Wed. Jan. 4 vs. Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 7:30
Sat. Jan. 7 vs. Victoria Grizzlies, 7:30
Fri. Jan. 13 vs. Coquitlam Express, 7:30
Sun. Jan. 15 vs. Chilliwack Chiefs, 3:00
Wed. Jan. 18 vs. Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 7:30
Fri. Jan. 20 @ Vernon Vipers, 7:00
Sat. Jan. 21 @ Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 7:00
Fri. Jan. 27 @ Chilliwack Chiefs, 7:00
Sat. Jan. 28 @ Surrey Eagles, 7:00
Sun. Jan. 29 @ Langley Rivermen, 2:00

FEBRUARY (11)
Thu. Feb. 2 vs. Alberni Valley Bulldogs, 7:30
Sat. Feb. 4 vs. Chilliwack Chiefs, 7:30
Tue. Feb. 7 @ Vernon Vipers, 7:00
Fri. Feb. 10 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings, 7:30
Sat. Feb. 11 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings, 7:30
Thu. Feb. 16 vs. Westside Warriors, 7:30
Fri. Feb. 17 vs. Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 7:30
Thu. Feb. 23 @ Penticton Vees, 7:00
Fri. Feb. 24 @ Merritt Centennials, 7:30
Sat. Feb. 25 @ Westside Warriors, 7:00
Wed. Feb. 29 vs. Merritt Centennials, 7:30

MARCH (6)
Fri. Mar. 2 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings, 7:30
Sat. Mar. 3 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings, 7:30
Tue. Mar. 6 @ Penticton Vees, 7:00
Fri. Mar. 9 vs. Merritt Centennials, 7:30
Sat. Mar. 10 @ Merritt Centennials, 7:30
Sun. Mar. 11 @ Chilliwack Chiefs, 5:00

The schedules for our local KIJHL teams should also be out in relatively short order, I'll post them here once they're released.