BUFFALO – Get ready for a hectic pace, Sabres fans.
The team’s lockout-shortened 48-game, conference-only 2012-13 schedule will be completed in only 97 days.
The slate, which starts with an afternoon tilt next Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers inside the First Niagara Center, features some odd quirks and new twists.
With 10 of their final 14 games at home, including the April 26 season finale against the New York Islanders, the Sabres could have a huge advantage over other teams.
Other interesting schedule notes:
– The Sabres play only nine sets of back-to-back games this season. Last season, back-to-back sets ate up 51 percent of their 82-game schedule.
– The team has 11 Sunday dates during its 42nd season, including seven at home, most notably a Feb. 17 afternoon visit from Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, the superstar’s only visit this season. The Sabres only played one Sunday contest last season.
– The Sabres play two Northeast Division rivals – the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens – five times and two division foes – Ottawa and Toronto – four times. They face the other 10 Eastern Conference opponents three times each.
– The Sabres have nine weekend afternoon games starting at or before 5 p.m., up from only four last year.
League schedules were released late Saturday night after the NHL and the Players’ Association completed the lockout-ending memorandum of understanding.
The team’s complete regular-season schedule:
Sunday January 20 PHILADELPHIA 12:30 p.m.
Monday January 21 @ Toronto 7:00 p.m.
Thursday January 24 @ Carolina 7:00 p.m.
Friday January 25 CAROLINA 7:00 p.m.
Sunday January 27 @ Washington 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday January 29 TORONTO 7:00 p.m.
Thursday January 31 @ Boston 7:00 p.m.
Saturday February 2 @ Montreal 2:00 p.m.
Sunday February 3 FLORIDA 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday February 5 @ Ottawa 7:30 p.m.
Thursday February 7 MONTREAL 7:00 p.m.
Saturday February 9 @ NY Islanders 7:00 p.m.
Sunday February 10 BOSTON 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday February 12 @ Ottawa 7:30 p.m.
Friday February 15 BOSTON 7:00 p.m.
Sunday February 17 PITTSBURGH 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday February 19 WINNIPEG 7:00 p.m.
Thursday February 21 @ Toronto 7:00 p.m.
Saturday February 23 NY ISLANDERS 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday February 26 @ Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
Thursday February 28 @ Florida 7:30 p.m.
Saturday March 2 NEW JERSEY 3:00 p.m.
Sunday March 3 @ NY Rangers 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday March 5 @ Carolina 7:00 p.m.
Thursday March 7 @ New Jersey 7:00 p.m.
Sunday March 10 @ Philadelphia 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday March 12 NY RANGERS 7:00 p.m.
Saturday March 16 OTTAWA 3:00 p.m.
Sunday March 17 @ Washington 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday March 19 @ Montreal 7:30 p.m.
Thursday March 21 TORONTO 7:00 p.m.
Saturday March 23 @ Montreal 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday March 26 @ Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
Thursday March 28 @ Florida 7:30 p.m.
Saturday March 30 WASHINGTON 7:00 p.m.
Sunday March 31 BOSTON 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday April 2 @ Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.
Friday April 5 OTTAWA 7:00 p.m.
Sunday April 7 NEW JERSEY 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday April 9 @ Winnipeg 8:00 p.m.
Thursday April 11 MONTREAL 7:00 p.m.
Saturday April 13 PHILADELPHIA 3:00 p.m.
Sunday April 14 TAMPA BAY 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 17 @ Boston 7:30 p.m.
Friday April 19 NY RANGERS 7:00 p.m.
Saturday April 20 @ Pittsburgh 7:00 p.m.
Monday April 22 WINNIPEG 7:00 p.m.
Friday April 26 NY ISLANDERS 7:00 p.m.
I personally am glad to see alot of afternoon and weekend home games. Will be alot of home games at end of year for a hopeful playoff push