NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stanley Cup champions Chicago Blackhawks will open their 2010-11 season on the road against the Colorado Avalanche on October 7, the National Hockey League said on Tuesday.
The game will be one of five that day to launch the new season, including the first of two games in Helsinki, Finland, between the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild. A record six NHL teams will open their regular seasons in Europe.
The San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets will play the first two games of their seasons in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 8 and 9. The Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes will play two games in Prague, Czech Republic, on October 9 and 10.
Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will play the first regular season game in their new arena when they host division-rival Philadelphia Flyers on October 7.
In a rematch of the 2010 Stanley Cup finals, the Blackhawks host the Flyers on January 23 in the only regular season game between the two teams.
On February 20, the past two Stanley Cup champions will battle when the Blackhawks host the Penguins.
The busiest day of the regular season will be October 14, when 28 of the league's 30 teams are in action.
The NHL's Winter Classic, an outdoor competition, will take place at Heinz Field, home to the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers, on January 1 when the Penguins play host to the Washington Capitals.
The game will be the second of four regular season meetings between the two teams, which boast Crosby and Washington's Alex Ovechkin, two of the games biggest stars.
Regular season play will halt from January 27-February 1 for the All-Star break from January 27-February 1. The weekend extravaganza in Raleigh, North Carolina will include a skills competition and exhibition game between the league's top players.
The regular season will end on April 10 and the Stanley Cup playoffs will begin on April 13.
(Writing by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue)
