Scottish Ice Hockey has confirmed the fixtures for the Scottish National League (SNL) 2019/20 campaign.
Murrayfield Racers will join Aberdeen Lynx, Belfast Giants SNL, Dundee Comets, Dundee Tigers, Kilmarnock Thunder, Kirkcaldy Kestrels, North Ayrshire Wild, Paisley Pirates and Solway Sharks in the 10-team line-up.
The teams will face each other once home and away for an 18-game regular season. However, Belfast will play each team once on the Scottish mainland with double points awarded for each game. Murrayfield’s first league game is at Dundee Tigers on Sunday, 15th September.
The Racers kick-off their season on Saturday, 31st August, when they travel to face Kilmarnock Thunder in the Stuart Robertson Cup (SRC). The first home game is the following Sunday in the same competition against North Ayrshire.
This year’s competition features two groups of four teams split into north and south sections. Murrayfield, Kilmarnock, North Ayrshire and Paisley make up the southern group, with Aberdeen, Kirkcaldy and the two Dundee teams playing in the northern section.
Each side will play each other once home and away, with the top two teams in each group qualifying for the semi-finals. This will be played over two legs, with the winners progressing to the two-legged final in December.
Murrayfield will also be competing in a revamped NIHL North Cup this season alongside Billingham Stars, Whitley Warriors, Dundee Comets and Solway.
The teams face each other once home and away during the group stage, with the top four sides progressing to two-legged semi-finals on January 18/19th. The winners of the two ties will meet in the final on February 15/16th.
The Racers will get their NIHL North Cup campaign underway on Sunday, 22nd September, when they host the Comets.
This season’s Scottish Cup (SC) will feature eight teams, with Solway and Belfast not entering any SIH cup competitions this time around.
The Racers have drawn Kilmarnock in the quarter-finals, with the two-legged tie scheduled to be played during December.
The semi-finals will also be staged over two legs, with the final scheduled alongside the various junior finals at Dundee Ice Arena on Saturday, 21st March.
The SNL play-offs will also begin during March, with the top eight teams in the standings qualifying for the two-legged quarter-finals.
The winners of those ties will progress to the SNL Final Four Weekend which will also be held at Dundee on Saturday/Sunday 4th/5th April.
The two semi-finals will be played on the Saturday, with the winners going on to meet in the final the following day.
The Racers will warm-up for the new season with a Caledonia Cup game at home to the Comets on Sunday, 25th August (face-off 6.00pm).
To view the fixtures schedule, please click here. To purchase season tickets for the upcoming campaign, please click here.
(Image permission: Racers Media)
