Augusta's hockey season will open in October, and the Lynx will have an immediate chance for revenge.
The Lynx, preparing for their 11th campaign, will open the 2008-09 season at home against the South Carolina Stingrays on Oct. 17. South Carolina recently ended Augusta's season, eliminating the Lynx from the first round of the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs.
The rematch will mark the beginning of a 2008-09 regular-season schedule that Lynx head coach Bob Ferguson said is much improved over last season's slate.
The Lynx endured long road trips last season, entire weekends off and a 10-day stretch without a single game.
"I definitely think it's an improved schedule. It's more fan-friendly, that's for sure. There's more weekend games, instead of those Tuesday night games," Ferguson said. "The biggest thing for me is we don't have that long layoff in February like we did last year. We weren't the same after that last year."
Following the season opener, the Lynx will face their longest road trip of the season with eight consecutive games away from James Brown Arena.
The road trip includes rare matchups against the ECHL North Division's Reading Royals and Elmira Jackals.
The Lynx also will face the Dayton Bombers and Trenton Devils at home during the regular season.
The remainder of the 72-game schedule is comprised of 66 games against ECHL South Division opponents.
"The ECHL did a great job on the schedule this year," Lynx co-owner and general manager Dan Troutman said in a news release. "We are playing every single weekend from the home opener in October to the regular-season finale in April. February is traditionally a great month for hockey, and we are pleased to have nine home games during that time."
Season tickets for the 2008-09 season start at $396 and are on sale at the Lynx box office.
LATE-SEASON SUCCESS: The Portland Pirates, of the American Hockey League, are competing in the Atlantic Division finals and evened the series against Providence with a pair of overtime wins in Games 3 and 4 last week.
Forward Ryan Dingle, one of four former Lynx players with Portland, had the winning assist in Game 4.
Reach Billy Byler at (706) 823-3216 or billy.byler@augustachronicle.com.
LYNX SCHEDULE
Oct. 17 vs. South Carolina
Oct. 18 at South Carolina
Oct. 21 at Gwinnett
Oct. 24 at Elmira
Oct. 25 at Elmira
Oct. 26 at Reading
Oct. 31 at Pensacola
Nov. 1 at Pensacola
Nov. 3 at Gwinnett
Nov. 7 vs. Gwinnett
Nov. 8 vs. Charlotte
Nov. 14 at Florida
Nov. 15 at Florida
Nov. 18 vs. Dayton
Nov. 21 vs. Florida
Nov. 22 vs. Mississippi
Nov. 23 vs. Dayton
Nov. 25 vs. Charlotte
Nov. 27 at Gwinnett
Nov. 28 at Charlotte
Nov. 29 vs. Charlotte
Dec. 4 at Mississippi
Dec. 5 at Mississippi
Dec. 6 at Mississippi
Dec. 12 at Pensacola
Dec. 13 at Mississippi
Dec. 16 vs. South Carolina
Dec. 19 vs. Gwinnett
Dec. 20 vs. Mississippi
Dec. 26 vs. Charlotte
Dec. 30 vs. Pensacola
Dec. 31 vs Pensacola
Jan. 2 vs. Mississippi
Jan. 3 at Gwinnett
Jan. 6 at South Carolina
Jan. 9 vs. South Carolina
Jan. 10 vs. Gwinnett
Jan. 13 at Charlotte
Jan. 16 vs. Gwinnett
Jan. 17 at South Carolina
Jan. 21 ECHL All-Star Game* Jan. 23 at Charlotte
Jan. 24 at Charlotte
Jan. 30 at South Carolina
Jan. 31 at Gwinnett
Feb. 6 vs. Charlotte
Feb. 7 at South Carolina
Feb. 12 vs. Mississippi
Feb. 13 vs. Pensacola
Feb. 14 at Gwinnett
Feb. 17 vs. Gwinnett
Feb. 20 vs. Florida
Feb. 21 vs. Florida
Feb. 22 at Charlotte
Feb. 24 vs. Gwinnett
Feb. 27 vs. Charlotte
Feb. 28 vs. Mississippi
March 3 vs. Trenton
March 6 at Charlotte
March 7 vs. South Carolina
March 10 at Mississippi
March 11 at Mississippi
March 13 at Pensacola
March 14 at Pensacola
March 17 vs. South Carolina
March 20 at South Carolina
March 21 vs. Florida
March 24 vs. Florida
March 27 at Florida
March 28 at Florida
March 31 vs. South Carolina
April 3 vs. Pensacola
April 4 vs. Pensacola
* Reading, Pa.
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