2008-2009 Schedule Released; Habs Open On Road

The NHL released the 2008-09 season schedule today, and we will take a look at the Habs schedule.

- The Habs open the season on the road, for the first three games. Thei first game of the season will be on Friday, October 10th, as they visit the Buffalo Sabres. Then, the following night, they visit Toronto, before meeting the DAMNED Flyers on Monday...sorry, still reeling.

- The actual season opener will once again occur overseas, in Europe. Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will face Daniel Alfredsson and the Ottawa Senators for a pair of games in Stockholm, Sweden on October 4th and 5th, while Vincent Lecavalier and the new-look Tampa Bay Lightning face the New York Rangers in Prague, Czech Republic on the same dates.

- The much-anticipated centennial-season home-opener will be on Wednesday, October 15th, as the Habs host Michael Ryder and the Bruins. They will play their next FOUR games at home as well.

- The Habs will play on Saturday night 23 times; 17 of them at home.

- The Habs' longest homestand: Nov 29 - Dec 21*. *They will play 10 of 11 games at home, including 7 in a row from Nov. 29 to Dec 13. The gap will be caused by a visit to Carolina on Thursday Dec. 16.

- The Habs' longest roadtrip: Feb 9- 19. They play six in a row away from home (vs. Flames, Oilers, Avs, Canucks, Caps, Pens.)

- The Habs will play six Sunday games, including a RARE 6 p.m. start in St.Louis on Nov. 16.

- The Habs will host the Sens on Hockey Day in Canada, 3 p.m. on Feb. 21st.

- Nov. 26: Habs @ Detroit.

- The Habs will play four of their last six games (all in April) on the road. They end the season on Saturday, April 11th, in Pittsburgh.

- Montreal will face each division-rival 6 times (down from 8) and each remaining Eastern Conference team 4 times, for a total of 64/82 games. The remaining 18 games will be played versus Western Conference teams for a minimum of one game against each of the 15 Western teams, plus 3 added home games vs. the Flames, Oilers and Canucks.

- STANLEY CUP REMATCH: The Pittsburgh Penguins will get a shot at revenge against the Red Wings on November 11th as the Pens travel to the Motor City to face defected-forward Marian Hossa and the Red Wings.

That's it folks! For a look at the full schedule, click http://canadiens.nhl.com/team/app?service=page&page=TeamSchedule . They're not playing on my birthday :( .