Prince George Cougars fans will have to wait until the second month of the Western Hockey League season to see their team play at home.

The Cougars open their 17th season in Prince George with two games on the road, Sept. 24 in Kamloops, and Sept. 25 in Kelowna, according to a tentative schedule released this week.

The following weekend, Oct. 1-2, the Vancouver Giants come to CN Centre for a two-game series to open the 36-game home schedule. The Cougars will play 25 home dates on weekends in 2010-11, with 13 Friday games and 12 on Saturdays. The CN Centre schedule also includes five games each on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and one Sunday afternoon game, Jan. 2, when the Cats host Moose Jaw.

The East Division teams -- Brandon, Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw, will all be making the trip this season to Prince George. The longest homestand in the Cats' schedule starts Dec. 14 against Swift Current and ends Jan. 8 after a game with Vancouver.

The Cougars will be away from the city for a five-game-in-six-nights tour of the Central Division, their longest road trip.

The annual Teddy Bear Toss promotion at CN Centre is set for Saturday, Dec. 18, when the Kamloops Blazers come to town.

See Friday's Citizen for the complete Cougars schedule.