As I examined the Prince George Cougars 2018-19 regular season schedule, I noticed some similarities to last year.
The one big change is all WHL teams will play 68 games instead of 72 in order to reduce costs and allow for more practice and education time.
The Cougars have about two-thirds (2/3) of their home games on weekends, about the same as 2017-18, however, while the Saturday dates remain equal (11), the prime Friday games are down to seven from 10.
The Sunday (2PM) games have increased from one last season to four.
The Cougars, to their delight, have lost two Tuesday home games going from eight to six.
For the second straight year there are no home games on Thursday and one CN Centre appearance on a Monday afternoon (Family Day).
Here’s the comparison …
2018-19 HOME SCHEDULE (DAY):
- Friday = 7
- Saturday = 11
- Sunday = 4
- Monday = 1
- Tuesday = 6
- Wednesday = 5
Total: 34
2017-18 HOME SCHEDULE (DAY):
- Friday = 10
- Saturday = 11
- Sunday = 1
- Monday = 1
- Tuesday = 8
- Wednesday = 5
Total: 36
The busiest month for the Cougars will be in February with 14 games (eight at home) in just 28 days.
Here’s the comparison of home dates per month.
2018-19 HOME SCHEDULE (MONTH):
- September = 2
- October = 6
- November = 7
- December = 2
- January = 6
- February = 8
- March = 3
Total 34
2017-18 HOME SCHEDULE (MONTH):
- September = 2
- October = 5
- November = 6
- December = 5
- January = 8
- February = 5
- March = 5
Total 36
The one eye-popper is a stretch where the Cougars will go nearly six weeks without a home game (December 2nd against Victoria until January 11th vs. Kelowna).
It’s here. The 2018-2019 Regular Season Schedule ? | https://t.co/DjaxSLgoUk #WHL #CityOfPG pic.twitter.com/sgFbvRVHwm
— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) June 26, 2018
Last season, the biggest gap between home games was three-and-a-half weeks (December 12th to January 5th).
One plus is that the Cougars will close with nine of their last 14 games on home ice.
Last year, they ended with seven of 11 at the CN Centre, but just one of their last five.
If the Cougars had a choice, which they don’t, they would welcome less home doubleheaders.
Prince George has 14 home doubles on back-to-back days, with 13 of them against the same opponent.
The one exception is November 23rd (Regina) and 24th (Saskatoon).
Last season there were a whopping 15 home back-to-back games and all were against the same team.
In addition, they hosted Victoria twice-in-a-row, but in a three-day period.
The slight difference is this season the Cougars will be hosting the East Division teams rather than travel to Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
The Cougars begin with three games on the road starting September 21st in Victoria.
They have their home opener a week later on Friday, September 28th against Kelowna to begin a string of four straight at the CN Centre.
The home opener is one of 10 feature games.
In 2017-18, the Cats started at home for a pair before hitting the road for three.
There is no such thing as a perfect schedule, particularly for a team like Prince George who travels the most in the league.
Over the years, improvements have been made!
This season’s road schedule seems better, although one might be alarmed with 11 straight away games starting December 7th, but that is misleading.
The Cougars play five road games prior to the Christmas break and that is stretched out over 10 days.
Following an 11-day holiday break, PG returns to the road for six straight, however that is over a 13-day period.
Other than that, they have nothing longer than three road games in a row except a five game away stretch from last weekend of January (to Alberta) to the first weekend of February (Kamloops and Vancouver).
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Today is the last day at VISTA Radio (Prince George) for Gary Russell, who I have worked with for all of his nearly 36 years with the company.
Gary (who has been my boss since 2005) and I are the last of the old-timers at the station.
He has been a superb leader and a man of integrity, both at the office and in the community (Child Development Centre, AIMHI, and Special Olympics to name a few).
Gary earned the respect of the staff who will miss his presence, sense of humour and camaraderie.
His plans are to remain in Prince George.
As Gary begins the next phase of his life, I want to wish him, wife Fern, daughter Hailey and son Sam all the best.
LISTEN:
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
ESPN’s annual Body Issue comes out this week. While everyone else’s body issues will come out after they read it.
*Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon
As the World Cup continues, a report just came out that football fans in Russia have been drinking so much that bars and restaurants are completely running out of beer. See, this is what happens when England wins one game.
*Late Late Show host James Corden
J.R. Smith’s jersey from his mistake in Game 1 of the NBA Finals sold for $23,000. The sad part is that Smith wanted to buy the jersey back but dropped out of the bidding early mistakenly thinking he made the highest offer.
*Comedy writer Jim Barach http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.ca/
A body was discovered at the home of New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins. Wait, I thought all the stiffs in NY were playing for the Mets.
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
Milwaukee Brewers reliever Adrian Houser vomited twice on the mound but somehow made it through the top of the eighth inning against the Phillies. This certainly puts a whole new spin on “warmup tosses.”
*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
The Milwaukee Brewers have promised their famous racing sausages will compete “beyond 2018” with new sponsor Johnsonville. It reassured fans who had feared for the wursts.
*Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
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Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT.
He also is the 94.3 radio color commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @Hartley_Miller.