Tearing apart the Komets schedule

The Central Hockey League released its 66-game schedule (33 home, 33 away) today, and because I'm a bit of an information nerd, I broke down the Komets' slate.

First and most importantly, the Jan. 20 and 21 games are when you should shower me with gifts since there isn't a home game on my birthday this season.

Second, the Komets face 12 opponents this season.

• Dayton: 14 times (7 home, 7 away)
• 1st game Nov. 8 away, last game Mar. 25 at home
• Evansville: 13 times (6 home, 7 away)
• 1st game Oct. 22 at home, last game Mar. 10 at home
• Bloomington: 11 times (6 home, 5 away)
• 1st game Nov. 24 at home, last game Feb. 29 at home
• Quad City: 9 times (4 home, 5 away)
• 1st game Nov. 6 at home, last game Mar. 2 away
• Rapid City: 5 times (1 home, 4 away)
• 1st game Nov. 4 at home, last game Dec. 3 away
• Arizona: 3 times (1 home, 2 away)
• 1st game Jan. 27 away, last game Feb. 24 at home
• Tulsa: 3 times (2 home, 1 away)
• 1st game Jan. 20 at home, last game Feb. 21 away
• Laredo: 2 times (both at home)
• Mar. 16-17
• Missouri: 2 times (1 home, 1 away)
• 1st game Dec. 29 at home, last game Jan. 15 away
• Wichita: 2 times (1 home, 1 away)
• 1st game Dec. 13 away, last game Mar. 4 at home
• Allen: 1 time (home)
• Feb. 18
• Texas: 1 time (home)
• Dec. 21

They play more than half the season against Dayton, Evansville and Bloomington (38 games). Ugh. Rio Grande Valley is the only team they do not play. Tulsa, Laredo, Allen and Texas will make their first appearances in Fort Wayne.

I'm rather disappointed that Rapid City and Wichita visit Fort Wayne only once. The Komets were starting to build a bit of a rivalry with both, and this setup doesn't seem to do much to add to it. Komets fans travel well, but a 17-hour road trip to South Dakota is more than most of us are willing to try. Driving to Kansas isn't any better. Another letdown is having just two games against Missouri. The Mavericks are my guilty-pleasure team, even without Robby Nolan in net. I guess I'll just have to keep up with them via a photographer on Flickr.

Games by month

• October: 2 games (both at home)
• November: 12 games (5 home, 7 away)
• December: 14 games (7 home, 7 away)
• January: 12 games (5 home, 7 away)
• February: 15 games (6 home, 9 away)
• March: 11 games (8 home, 3 away)

3 games in 3 nights: 11 times (3 straight weekends in January)
4 games in 5 nights: 6 times
Longest stretch between games: 1 week

I'm looking forward to the eight home games in March because at that point there should be plenty of end-of-season drama in the standings. Of the 11 games total, eight of them are against conference opponents, so there's 16 points up for grabs.

On the road again
The Komets have three stretches that could get hectic for travel.

• They're at home Nov. 24, Thanksgiving night, and immediately leave for Quad City (Nov. 25), then get on the bus again and cross two states to get to Dayton (Nov. 26). They have just enough time to recover from that before going up to Rapid City (Dec. 2-3).
• A long trip out starts after the Jan. 13 game at home. They head to Evansville on Jan. 14 and continue down the Interstate to Missouri on Jan. 15.
• One busy stretch of four games in four nights has them at home Feb. 17-18, traveling to Bloomington Feb. 19 and then making the long jump out to Tulsa for a game Feb. 21. Actually, that stretch is going to turn into 8 games in 12 nights by the end of the month. Ugh.

On the fan side of things, want to get away from the coliseum for an evening and check out some other team's barn? Here are a few weekends that are jam-packed with hockey with a short road trip.

• 2 in 2: Feb. 24-25 -- Home, Evansville (Fri/Sat)
• 3 in 3: Nov. 4-6 -- Home, Evansville, home
• 3 in 3: Dec. 29-31 -- Home, Evansville, home (New Year's Eve)
• 3 in 3: Jan. 6-8 -- Home, Dayton, home
• 3 in 3: Mar. 23-25 -- Home, Dayton, home (awards night)