The Steinbach Pistons have penciled in plans for the first-ever game at the Southeast Event Centre.

"The teams have the ability to pre-plan 4 home dates," explains Pistons head coach and general manager Paul Dyck. "So, we've done that. One of them is our home opener in Steinbach. It's planned for New Year's Eve, so it's going to be very exciting."

With the date set, the coach says they've also plotted out who will be the first team to meet the Pistons for that first face-off.

Dyck says that they've already contacted a team. "We've spoken with Niverville," he says with a smile. "It's going to be finalized here in the next while but it's going to sure be a lot of fun."

A part of having Niverville in as the first team to play in the new building goes back a couple of years to when the Nighthawks first came into the league. "They had invited us to be a part of their first-ever game in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. That means something. To be able to have them in for our first-ever game in our new surroundings, it's pretty cool. When we spoke to them about it, we wanted to reciprocate having the fortune to play in their inaugural game."

For the longtime hockey veteran, Dyck says it's a great opportunity to enjoy something a little bigger than the game. "Those are great memories that are made. It's even better that it can be against a rival team and neighboring community, it just adds to what's already going to be a special night and we're excited to welcome everyone in to share in the magic."

The first half of the year will be played, like last season, out of the HyLife Centre in La Broquerie. Dyck says they've planned a special night for that regular season home-opener, as well. "It will be against Winkler. The two teams that faced off in the finals. I like to see that. We know they're going to be strong again and it's an instant dose of reality of just how strong the league is."

The MJHL full schedule is set to come out in a few weeks.

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