canadiens.com
Jul 15, 2009, 3:00 PM EDT

PRESS RELEASE

MONTRÉAL — The Montreal Canadiens and the NHL today released the schedule for the 2009-10 season. For a ninth consecutive year, the team will open the season on the road, facing the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, October 1st.

The Canadiens’ home opener at the Bell Centre will be on Thursday, October 15 against the Colorado Avalanche. The Canadiens’ regular season will end on Saturday, April 10 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, at the Bell Centre, wrapping up an 82-game schedule over 192 days (including a 16-day Olympic Break between February 14 and March 1st).

All weeknight games at the Bell Centre will start at 7:30 p.m. The traditional Saturday night home games will start at 7:00 p.m. with the exception of three weekend afternoon games; Sunday, January 3 against Buffalo (3:00 p.m.), as well as the two matinee games during the traditional Super Bowl Weekend on Saturday, February 6 against Pittsburgh and Sunday, February 7 against Boston. Both games will be presented at 3:00 p.m.

In 2009-10, the Canadiens will face their division rivals (Boston, Buffalo, Ottawa and Toronto) six times (24 games). Four games will be played against each of the other 10 teams from the Eastern Conference (40 games). The remaining 18 games will be played versus Western Conference teams for a minimum of one game against each of the 15 Western teams, plus three (3) “at large” games featuring Canadian rivals (Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton).

The Canadiens will play seven preseason games between September 17-26, including five (5) games at the Bell Centre, as the team will host Florida, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Boston and Buffalo. Two preseason games will be also be played in Ottawa (September 19) and at the Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City (September 20 vs Boston).

All Canadiens regular season games will be broadcasted on RDS-HD, CJAD and CKAC. RDS will once again feature a number of Canadiens games for their Tuesday night broadcasts Les Méchants Mardis (15).

Canadiens home games will be played at least once on each day of the week. Saturday remains the busiest day on the schedule with 24 games, including 15 home contests.

Centennial Game
On this Centennial Year, the Canadiens will play a home game against the Boston Bruins on December 4th, 2009, the official date of the foundation of the Club. The game will take place at the Bell Centre, at 8:00 p.m.