HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) – The Hershey Bears released their full 72-game regular season schedule on Wednesday for their 86th season in the AHL.

The home opener will take place on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. against the Belleville Senators and will include the raising of the Bears’ 12th Calder Cup banner at the GIANT Center.

In total, Hershey will host 14 Saturday evening games and 10 Sunday home games. The remainder of games at the GIANT Center include two on Tuesday, seven on Wednesday, and three on Friday. The longest home stretch for the Bears will be from Dec. 9-17 where Hershey will play five straight games in the GIANT Center across nine days. December will be a busy month for the Bears as they will play 13 games.

Their longest road trips consist of four games away and the phenomenon will take place three times throughout the season from Oct. 20-25, Nov. 29-Dec. 8, and March 3-15.

Hershey will have four stints where they will play three games in three consecutive nights.

A highlight of the schedule is the return of the Thanksgiving Eve game at home on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

The Bears will be playing all teams in the Eastern Conference again, facing Lehigh Valley 12 times, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 12 times, Charlotte eight times, Bridgeport six times, Providence six times, Cleveland four times, Hartford four times, Springfield four times, Belleville two times, Laval two times, Rochester two times, Syracuse two times, Toronto two times and Utica two times.

Hershey will also face Iowa from the Western Conference for four games.

Before the season tips off, the Bears will play three preseason games, one of which will be at home on Oct. 6 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 7 p.m.

The full schedule can be found here.