NHL releases 2018-19 schedule, including two outdoor games

The National Hockey League released its complete 1,271-game schedule for 2018-19 on Thursday, headlined by an Oct. 3 season-opening slate including the home opener for the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals. The Capitals will raise a Cup banner for the first time in franchise history before they host the Boston Bruins in one of four games to launch the NHL season. Washington currently holds a 12-game regular-season winning streak against Boston. The other three games on the NHL's opening night tab the Montreal Canadiens traveling to face the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Original Six matchup, the Calgary Flames visiting the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks hosting the Anaheim Ducks. The following day, the Stanley Cup runner-up Vegas Golden Knights will begin their second season at home against the Philadelphia Flyers. The first rematch of this year's Stanley Cup Final will happen on Oct. 10 when the Capitals host the Golden Knights at Capital One Arena. The regular-season schedule also includes three games in Europe as part of the league's Global Series. The Edmonton Oilers play the New Jersey Devils for their season opener in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Oct. 6. The Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets will match up in back-to-back games in Helsinki, Finland, on Nov. 1-2. The NHL also will play hold Winter Classic games next season. On Jan. 1, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Bruins will play outdoors at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., maintaining the tradition started in 2008 of the league scheduling a regular-season outdoor game the first day of the new year. The Flyers will host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 23 at Lincoln Financial Field in an outdoor rematch of the teams' meeting at Heinz Field last season. The NHL on Wednesday announced the home-opening date and opponent for all 31 teams. Edmonton has the latest home opener, dropping the puck for the first time at Rogers Place on Oct. 18, against Boston. Much of that has to do with the Oilers opening their season in Sweden. The league's regular-season will end on April 6 with 30 of the 31 teams in action. --Field Level Media