NEW YORK, July 16 (UPI) -- The 2003-04 NHL season will include an outdoor meeting between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens.
There will also be a contest between the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils in Rochester, N.Y., as well as additional intraconference games.
The NHL schedule was released Wednesday and the season will begin on Oct. 8 with three games. The final regular-season games will be played on April 4, the earliest conclusion since 1990-91.
The Oilers and Canadiens will face each other at Edmonton's 50,000-seat Commonwealth Stadium on November 22 -- the 86th anniversary of the league's inception. The game will follow a contest of alumni from both franchises, including Wayne Gretzky and Guy Lafleur.
Also, for the first time since the 1969-70 season, home teams will wear dark-colored jerseys.
