Cyclone Hockey releases 2015-16 schedule

Forward+Preston+Blanek+scores+a+goal+during+the+Cyclone+Hockey+match+against+Midland+University+on+Feb.+28%2C+2015.%C2%A0

Charlie Coffey/Iowa State Daily

Forward Preston Blanek scores a goal during the Cyclone Hockey match against Midland University on Feb. 28, 2015. 

Ben Visser

Grab a pen and calendar and start circling dates. Cyclone Hockey released its schedule featuring a list of games that weave in and out of conference play until April.

The team will begin the 2015-16 season at home with a doubleheader Sept. 11 and 12 against Huntsville Havoc, a tier-III junior hockey team. The Havoc went 31-21-4 last season.

The second set of key games is on the road Oct. 2 and 3 against Central Oklahoma, which is the defending champion. Central Oklahoma finished its championship campaign with a 29-5-1 record and defeated the Cyclones in the quarterfinals of the American Collegiate Hockey Association national championship.

Cyclone Hockey will meet the Bronchos in Ames on Jan. 29 and 30.

Ohio travels to Ames during the Alumni/Hall of Fame Weekend on Oct. 9 and 10 to kick off the Cyclones first Central States Collegiate Hockey League matchup. Ohio finished last season with a record of 26-7-5.

Cyclone Hockey will begin a streak of four-straight road series Nov. 13 and 14 beginning with conference opponent Illinois. The Cyclones will also see Colorado, Colorado State and Ohio, which will round out the road trip.

The Cyclones host rival Iowa on Jan. 20. On Jan. 21, they will play Iowa in Iowa City. 

Cyclone Hockey will host the CSCHL tournament on Feb. 19-21 at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena.

It will finish off their regular season the same way they started it, against another tier-III junior hockey opponent — the Springfield Express — Feb. 26 and 27.

The ACHA national tournament begins March 3 and goes through March 8 at Bensenville, Ill.