Dusters eye fast start

August 17th, 1977 from the Binghamton Evening Press

The Broome Dusters should get off to a flying start this season. After all, they'll be playing nine of their first 12 games at the Broome County Arena where they only lost five of 37 last season.

For the second straight season, the Broome Dusters will open their North American Hockey League campaign at home on Friday night. And, it's only 65 days away.

The Dusters have announced their 1977-78 schedule. 74 games spanning the Oct. 21 opener against Maine to a Saturday night finale on March 18 in Erie.

And Erie is one of the teams they'll be seeing slightly more often. The Dusters will play both Erie and the Phildelphia Firebirds 16 times each, eight home and away, while they will play Syracuse, Mohawk Valley and Maine 14 times apeice, seven home and away.

As usual, Wednesday and Sunday are the most popular with 29 of the 37 home dates games slated for those days. In all, 15 games are to be played on Wednesday night. 14 on Sunday (nights through Super Bowl Sunday, Jan 15. afternoons there after) and five on Friday night.

As for special nights, the Dusters will play their tradional Thanksgiving night game at the arena against Syracuse, the night after Christmas, a Monday, they'll host Erie, New Year's Eve, a Saturday night, Philadelphia comes to town, and the Firebirds are again guests on another special night, St. Patrick's Day. Friday, March 17, ending the regular season home schedule.

The Dusters will play four exhibitions begining Wednesday, Oct 12 home-and-home games with Syracuse and Mohawk Valley.

Training camp. in Binghamton for the second straight year, will open Sunday, Oct 9. Coach Larry Kish said he expects a camp of from 26-28 players.

The only facet of the schedule that is particulary urksome to Kish is a week layover from Nov. 9-16. Getting ice time in any NAHL building during that span is particulary tough.

The longest Duster home stand is five games in late October and early November and the longest road swing three games in three times, the most grueling a late Novemeber weekend trip from Philadelphia to Erie, Pa., to Lewiston, Me.

Click here to see the schedule that was never played