When based out of Prince George there is no such thing as a perfect hockey schedule, but the P.G. Cougars and Spruce Kings have both made significant strides.
For the hockey fan that wants to watch both teams, they are in luck.
In the 2024-25 regular season, the Cougars have 34 WHL home games at C.N. Centre while the Spruce Kings have 26 BCHL home games at Kopar Memorial Arena.
Surprisingly, there is only one night where both teams have a home game on the same night and that is November 9th when the Cougars entertain Vancouver and the Spruce Kings host Cowichan.
The Cougars have 25 of their home games on a weekend while the Spruce Kings play every home game on a weekend with the exception Wednesday, January 22nd when they host defending champion Surrey.
Here is a closer look at what the schedules have to offer:
P.G. Cougars:
The Cougars have 12 home games on a Friday, another 12 on a Saturday, one on a Sunday (Nov 10th, part of a long weekend), six on a Tuesday and three on a Wednesday.
They do not have any home games on a Monday or a Thursday; in fact they only play two Monday games all season (Oct. 14th Thanksgiving Day in Calgary, and February 17th Family Day in Vancouver) and none on a Thursday.
This is a slight improvement over the 23-24 schedule where the Cougars had 24 of their 34 home games on a weekend (which included a holiday Monday).
The Cougars longest road trip is five games just like last season.
However, there is a stretch where P.G. will play seven consecutive away games, but that is broken down of four before the Christmas break (Dec 11th to 17th) and three after (Dec 27th to 31st).
P.G. will open with a home doubleheader against Spokane Sept 20th and 21st and close with four straight at C.N. Centre on March 14th and 15th (against Wenatchee) and 21st and 22nd (against Victoria).
In 23-24, they also opened up with a home doubleheader (against Tri-City) but closed with just one at home following a road trip.
In most past seasons, the Cougars have closed with a home and home against Kamloops, so this will be a bit different with the Royals coming to P.G. in the final action prior to playoffs.
Prince George has four games in September (two at home and two on the road), 12 games in October (six at home and six on the road), 10 games in November (six at home and four on the road), 9 games in December (two at home and seven on the road), 12 in January (eight at home and four on the road), 12 in February (six at home and six on the road) and 9 in March (four at home and five on the road).
There is one long gap in home games from Saturday, Dec 7th (against Kamloops) until Friday, January 3rd (against Seattle) but keep in mind the Christmas break is in that time frame.
Last season, Edmonton and Calgary came to P.G. between Christmas and New Year on December 27th and 28th.
This season, the Cougars visit the Oil Kings and Hitmen plus the other Alberta teams (Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Red Deer).
They also host the teams from Manitoba and Saskatchewan for a total of six games (P.A., defending champion Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Regina, Brandon and Swift Current).
Prince George will play 32 games (nearly half) of its games inside its own B.C. Division: 8 against Victoria (consisting of four doubleheaders), and also 8 each against Kamloops, Kelowna and Vancouver.
The Cougars also have 25 games vs. the U.S. Division; four each against Spokane, Portland, Tri-City, Everett and Seattle and five against Wenatchee (with the Wild having the extra home game).
One part of the schedule that is a lock and will not improve is how many home doubleheaders they have against the same opponent which is 12, the same as last season.
(Just like in 23-24, the Cougars also have two other dates of home games on back-to-back nights but they are against different opponents: Dec 6th (vs Regina) and 7th (vs Kamloops) plus January 24th (vs Brandon) and 25th (vs Kamloops).
Overall, it will not be the schedule that determines the wins and losses; it will be the team on the ice and that is the way it should be.
This story will be one you won’t want to put down. 📖
Our 2024-2025 schedule has arrived 📚https://t.co/fwAUD8ivsh
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) June 25, 2024
P.G. Spruce Kings:
The Spruce Kings have nine home games on a Friday, 13 on a Saturday, three on a Sunday (3 PM starts), and one on a Wednesday.
The big change for the BCHL is the full-time additions of five teams from Alberta (defending champion Brooks, Okotoks, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove and Blackfalds) and the subtraction of Merritt to give the league 21 teams.
Prince George will host two of the Alberta teams; Spruce Grove on Saturday, November 23rd and Sherwood Park on Sunday, March 16th.
The Spruce Kings have moved into the five-team Coastal East Division alongside Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Langley and Surrey.
Prince George will play 28 games inside its own division (7 each against the the other four teams) which is slightly more than half of its 54-game schedule.
It seems strange that they hardly play against the Interior West; yes they are at Salmon Arm on March 2nd but nothing is on the schedule yet against Penticton, Vernon, West Kelowna or Trail.
(Perhaps they will face two of those teams in the BCHL Showcase which has yet to be announced).
The Spruce Kings open with three on the road starting September 20th but close at home with a doubleheader against Powell River March 29th and 30th as the BCHL regular season extends one week longer than the WHL.
Of the 26 home games at the Kopar Memorial Arena, 11 of them are doubleheaders against the same team for a total of 22.
The Spruce Kings are coming off a last place performance in the Interior Division, perhaps a change of scenery that comes with a significant change of schedule can help turn those results around.
The 2024-2025 BCHL Schedule has been released!
FULL DETAILS: https://t.co/OqwVoejFuP
Season Tickets: https://t.co/LirzmXkWpd pic.twitter.com/vRI2z48FzZ— Prince George Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) June 20, 2024
Cat Scan podcast (special summer edition):
In a special 70 min edition of the Cat Scan #podcast @PGCougars Dir of Business Taylor Dakers discussed the controversial article that appeared in PG Citizen which Dakers refers to as inaccurate; one of the owners possibly looking at selling his shares; season tickets & more. https://t.co/UAmmnthtCs
— Hartley Miller (@Hartley_Miller) June 27, 2024
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick (72) is dating a woman nearly 50 years his junior. They make such a cute couple strolling around Boston, with he in his hoodie and she in her onesie.
*Contributor Marc Ragovin of New York
Bill Belichick, 72, is reportedly dating a 24-year-old woman. Belichick is said to be exercising biological clock management.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
So after blowing a three games to zero lead, the Florida Panthers hang on against the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup in game seven. New anthem. “Oh so close Canada….
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
Top five reasons over 50 teams competed in England’s 12-hour, overnight lawn tractor race:
5. To go against lawn odds;
4. Just to make the cut;
3. To go at a fast clip;
2. Nothing mulch else to do;
1. The mow, the merrier.
Hartley Miller is the news and sports director/supervisor plus morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97fm. He has completed his 11th year as the radio colour commentator on the Prince George Cougars home games. Hartley has been on the airwaves in PG since 1979 and is the author of You Don’t Say (sports quotes).
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