Men’s Hockey season opens October 11 at Eastlink Centre against UNB
The UPEI Men's Hockey Panthers' 2014-15 season includes an opening-night at the Eastlink Centre; 15 returning players and seven new recruits; games in all three PEI counties; partnering in a hockey doubleheader; and its annual Alumni Day.
'We are excited to get the season started and opening at the Eastlink Centre against perennial powerhouse UNB. This will be an opportunity to experience the best the AUS conference offers,' said UPEI Men's Hockey Head Coach Forbie MacPherson. 'We have a solid group of players returning, and some exciting new players for hockey fans to see during the Thanksgiving weekend.'
The Panthers open the season Saturday, October 11 against UNB at the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown. Game time is 7:00 pm. Panther season ticket holders can pick up their tickets at Panther Central in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre on the UPEI campus until 4:00 pm on October 11. They will also be available at the will-call window at the Eastlink Centre from 5:00 pm until game time that night.
All tickets for the opening night are general seating and will be on sale at the Eastlink Centre Box Office beginning Monday, October 6, daily from 11:00 am-5:00 pm, and 11:00 am to game time on October 11. Tickets are also available online by visiting eastlinkcentrepei.com, or by calling the Eastlink Centre Box Office at (902) 629-6625.
On that Thursday, October 9, the Panthers will take part in a special UPEI night at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino including a meet and greet, a visit to the paddock, and opportunities to win a UPEI/Red Shores prize pack.
The core of the Panthers' 2013-14 team is back including team MVP, CIS second team all-star, and UPEI Male Athlete of the Year Reggie Traccitto, and second year captain Mason Wilgosh. New recruits include Darcy Ashley and Brent Andrews, formerly of the Halifax Mooseheads; Craig MacLauchlan from the Charlottetown Islanders; Nelson Armstrong from the Peterborough Petes; Nick Czinder from the Kitchener Rangers; Dave Mazurek formely of the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL; Nick Parker from the Pictou County Crushers of the MHL; and goaltender Connor Wilkinson from the Dieppe Commandos of the MHL.
On Saturday, October 25, the Panthers are partnering with the Charlottetown Islanders as part of a hockey doubleheader with the Panthers playing an afternoon game against StFX. The Panthers will also be playing games in all three PEI counties this season. On Saturday, November 22, the Panthers will host Dalhousie at the Cavendish Wellness Centre in Montague; on Saturday, January 3, the Panther will host STU in a fundraising exhibition game at the Tignish Credit Union Arena.
The Panthers have a rich hockey history stretching back to the days of St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales College. Alumni players have been organizing a special alumni day in recent seasons to reconnect former players that features alumni games, and special ceremonies, topped off by a UPEI regular season game. This year's Alumni Day will be held on Saturday, January 24.
The Panthers travel this weekend to Schenectady, New York to play the defending NCAA champions Union College, and then to Troy, NY to take on long-time US College powerhouse Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
'We have been practicing for weeks and played some games two weeks ago in Ontario. These additional games against elite hockey teams will give us as a coaching staff a chance to evaluate our players and better prepare ourselves for the opener against UNB,' MacPherson said.
UPEI Men's Hockey season tickets are available now and include 13 games in Charlottetown and a playoff holding seat. Call the Panther Box Office at (902) 566-0368 to purchase tickets in time for the home opener.
Season ticket prices:
Adult - $171
Seniors -$ 150
Non-UPEI student - $70
Youth (12 and under) - $35
3 and under - free
Go Panthers Go!
For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca
