Odessa, TX (June 30, 2016) – The Odessa Jackalopes, proud members of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), have announced their full 60-game schedule for the 2016-17 season. As they did last year, Odessa will open regular-season play on the road against the Amarillo Bulls at the Amarillo Civic Center on September 10. Odessa won’t play at home until the final weekend of October 27-29 when they welcome in the Lone Star Brahmas for three games. The Jacks home opener on Thursday, October 27 will feature half-priced beer and $1 hot dogs and on Saturday, October 29 the Jacks will host the 3rd annual West Texas Craft Beer Festival. Odessa will travel over 7,800 miles and play 13 games away from home before its first game at the coliseum due to the Permian Basin International Oil Show. In all, the Jacks will travel and estimated 14,000 miles throughout the season on 16 roadtrips. The annual NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minn. will be held from September 21-24 at the Schwan Super Center, but the Jacks opponents have yet to be determined.
Odessa will once again compete in the Southern Division of the NAHL and battle against long-time rivals the Amarillo Bulls, Corpus Christi IceRays, Lone Star Brahmas, Topeka RoadRunners and Wichita Falls Wildcats, plus, the newest addition to the South Division the Shreveport Mudbugs. The Jacks and Mudbugs were once rivals in the Central Hockey League (CHL) when they were both professional organizations. The same year the Jacks left the CHL (2010) for the NAHL the Mudbugs closed up shop, folding their organization.
Odessa will play both Lone Star and Amarillo 12 times, Wichita Falls and Shreveport 10 times, Corpus eight and Topeka Four. Odessa will play 10 midweek games throughout the season including eight of those at home (seven Thursday, two Tuesday).
Like last season, the Jacks will wrap up the regular season on home ice, welcoming in the Wildcats for three games from March 30-April 1, and then Odessa will finish the season with a pair of games against the Amarillo Bulls on April 7-8.
A full promotional schedule will follow in the next few weeks. Keep it tuned to Jackalopes.org for more information.
2016-17 JACKALOPES SCHEDULE (PDF-Printable Version)
