ICE begin season with Battle of Manitoba

The WHL has released the entire schedule for the 2019-2020 season and it starts on September 20 for the Winnipeg ICE.

The Battle of Manitoba begins on that night as the ICE makes the short trip to Brandon to take on the Wheat Kings. Winnipeg plays their home opener at Wayne Fleming Arena the very next night against the same Brandon squad.

Winnipeg’s first three-in-three road trip comes one week later. It begins on September 27 with a game against the Saskatoon Blades. One day later they take on the defending WHL Champion, Prince Albert Raiders at the Art Hauser Centre. The trip wraps up against the Regina Pats on September 29.

Winnipeg is in Alberta for the first time on October 11 as they play at the Canalta Centre in Medicine Hat.

The team’s first extended home-stand comes from October 30-November 6. They will play Lethbridge twice, Swift Current once, and Red Deer once during that span.

Their first extended road trip is slated for November 16-23 where they will play five games in eight days south of the border.

The trip starts in Everett and includes stops in Portland, Seattle, Tri-City, and Spokane.

After playing a game in Brandon on November 29, the ICE gets a good taste of home cooking. From November 30-December 11, the team plays five games, including one against Brandon.

Other notable home-stands include nine straight games at the Wayne Fleming Arena from January 4-26.

After that lengthy home-stand, the ICE hit the road plenty. They play January 29, January 31, and February 1 in Alberta against Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton respectively.

From February 12-17, the team plays four road games. They start in Swift Current before heading to Alberta for the remaining three. Winnipeg is back home for a mid-week affair on February 19 against Edmonton, before they hit the road again.

On February 25, the team is in Edmonton, before heading to Calgary on February 27. The quick three games in four days wraps up on February 28 against Red Deer.

Winnipeg plays nine games in March. That includes a home-and-home with Brandon to wrap up the regular-season.

Winnipeg plays host on Friday, March 20, and the Battle of Manitoba heads to the “Wheat City” for the season finale on Saturday, March 21.