Will the Westshore Stingers win as many games this season as they did last year?
Absolutely.
That's because the perennial Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League doormats – who ceased operations in December last year after going 0-14-0 – are sitting out until the 2012-13 season, the VIJHL announced this week.
The Island Jr. B circuit has released its regular season schedule for the 2011-12 season, and with the Stingers on the sidelines the Kerry Park Islanders have been moved into the South Island division.
The Comox Valley Glacier Kings, Campbell River Storm and Oceanside Generals will form the North Island division; the South Island division will consist of the Kerry Park, Peninsula Panthers, Saanich Braves and Victoria Cougars.
Teams in the North Island division will meet nine times; teams in the South Island division will meet eight times; North Island teams will meet South Island teams six times, in a 42-game schedule.
The regular season begins Thursday, Sept. 8 and ends on Saturday, Feb. 18.
The Glacier Kings have two exhibition games scheduled: Sept. 3 against the Storm in Courtenay and Sept. 4 against the Storm in Campbell River. They open the regular season Sept. 9 on the road in Peninsula with their first home game Sept. 10 against the Panthers.
The Yetis' rookie camp is scheduled for Aug. 12-14 at Sports Centre No. 2 and their main camp is set for Aug. 26-28 at the Sports Centre.
sports@comoxvalleyrecord.com