By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor 

PELHAM – We are now a month away from the return of Birmingham Bulls hockey with the Bulls set to host the Huntsville Havoc on Friday, Oct. 19, to open the 2018-19 SPHL hockey season.

After returning last year for the first time since 2001, the Bulls got the hockey fan base in the Birmingham area excited and with that experience will now have the chance to compete for a playoff spot this season in what should be another action-packed year.

Birmingham will play 28 home games this season starting with three of their first four games being played in the Pelham Civic Complex.

The Bulls’ longest home stand of the season will come between Jan. 18 and Jan. 26, when they’ll play five consecutive home games. And if they are in a tight playoff race down the stretch, they’ll also have the fortune of home ice for their final four games of the regular season as well.

If you want to be a part of the season, individual and season tickets are now available at Bullshockey.net, as well as Flex Packs featuring seven gold tickets that can be used for any home game this season costing $133.

With players returning such as Captain Craig Simchuk and standout Shane Topf as well as other impressive players like Justin Larson, Taylor Dickin, Matt Fuller, Mike Davis, Nick Owen, Evan Schultz and Caleb Apperson, this year’s squad has plenty of experience and should be poised for a strong season.

Birmingham will also have a strong new cast of players that the front office and head coach Jamey Hicks have been working hard to bring to the team during the offseason.

Last season, the Bulls got off to a sluggish 6-16 start during the return, but bounced back midway through the season to go on a nice winning spurt that saw them pick up wins in 13 of 15 games, including a six-game winning streak at one point.

That put them squarely in the race for a playoff spot, but down the stretch, it became too tall of a task, as the team fizzled out over the final couple of weeks to end the season.

It did, however, show that this team could win hockey games when clicking as a team, and you would expect, with this being their second year together, that they’ll get off to a faster start.

Last year, a faster start would have meant a playoff spot. This year, that is still unknown, but a better start to the year can only help, and they have the team to get it done.

Aside from great hockey this season, the Bulls will also be holding the always entertaining and fan-friendly promotions throughout the home schedule.

Some of those promotions include, Batman night, Military Appreciation Night, adult jersey night, Iron Bowl night, Jurassic World night, Superman night, Church night and many more.

It’s set up to be a fantastic and fun season, and you’ll have your first chance to get a look at this year’s team in less than a month.