2016-17 schedule released with 14 home games

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The WCHA released the league’s 2016-17 composite schedule on Thursday, and UAH revealed the Chargers’ full schedule right after.

UAH will play 34 regular-season games in 2016-17, including the 28-game conference slate. UAH will host 14 games — all WCHA contests — at the Von Braun Center.

The Chargers hit the road a lot in October, including the first three weeks when the season. It all begins in Big Rapids, Mich., with a WCHA series at Ferris State on Oct. 1-2.

Then comes a return trip to Connecticut on Oct. 8-9. UAH split the first series of last season with the Huskies in Huntsville by a pair of 5-2 scores.

UAH heads to Houghton for the first time since its 2015 WCHA playoff series to face Michigan Tech. The Chargers finally get their home opening series on October 21 and 22 against Lake Superior State.

The Chargers’ second non-conference series is at St. Cloud State, last season’s NCHC tournament champions, to finish off October.

UAH goes to Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 4-5, the first of two trips to Alaska this season. Then the Chargers spend three of the next four weeks at home, hosting Alaska Fairbanks (Nov. 11-12), Bowling Green (Nov. 18-19), and Ferris State (Dec. 3-4). Thanksgiving weekend will be UAH’s first off week after playing each of the first eight weeks of the season.

The Chargers get two more off weeks after a trip to Northern Michigan on Dec. 9-10, before spending New Year’s in Minneapolis at the Mariucci Classic. UAH’s opening opponent is to be announced, but besides host Minnesota, Massachusetts and Mercyhurst are scheduled to participate. UAH last appeared in the Mariucci in 2012.

Only 12 regular-season games take place in the second half of the season, half at home. UAH hosts MacNaughton Cup co-champions Minnesota State (Jan. 6-7) and Michigan Tech (Jan. 27-28), and rival Bemidji State (Feb. 10-11) to finish the home slate.

On Tuesday, the WCHA announced a new postseason format. The top eight teams qualify for the WCHA Playoffs, which begin with best-of-three quarterfinal series at the top four seeds. The top two remaining seeds will host best-of-three semifinal series, and the WCHA Championship will be decided in a single game played at the highest remaining seed.

Season ticket and Blue Line Club information will be released over the summer. For more information, call 256-UAH-PUCK.

Here is the 2016-17 UAH Charger hockey schedule. Home games are in bold. Games start at 7 p.m., except for Dec. 4 and Feb. 11, which start at 3 p.m.

Oct. 1-2 – Ferris State*
Oct. 7-8 – Connecticut
Oct. 14-15 – Michigan Tech*
Oct. 21-22 – Lake Superior State*
Oct. 28-29 – St. Cloud State
Nov. 4-5 – Alaska Anchorage*
Nov. 11-12 – Alaska*
Nov. 18-19 – Bowling Green*
Dec. 3-4 – Ferris State*
Dec. 9-10 – Northern Michigan*
Dec. 30-31 – Mariucci Classic at Minneapolis (Minnesota, UMass, Mercyhurst)
Jan. 6-7 – Minnesota State*
Jan. 20-21 – Lake Superior State*
Jan. 27-28 – Michigan Tech*
Feb. 3-4 – Alaska*
Feb. 10-11 – Bemidji State*
Feb. 24-25 – Bowling Green*

March 3-5 – WCHA Quarterfinals (best-of-3 at higher seeds)
March 10-12 – WCHA Semifinals (best-of-3 at higher seeds)
March 18 – WCHA Championship (at higher seed)
March 24-26 – NCAA Tournament Regionals
April 6-8 – NCAA Frozen Four (Chicago)

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