The National Lacrosse League's 2006 season will open with a December bout at Pepsi Center between the league's two oldest franchises, Philadelphia and Colorado, the league announced today.

The 30 December tilt, the only game slated to be held in Week One, features the six-time champion Wings against the Mammoth (who played for many years in Baltimore), the only other team whose roots go back to the league's inception in 1987.

Six other teams open the following weekend, including the first-ever game for the Edmonton Rush -- Friday, 6 January, at home against San Jose.

The highlight of Week Two, though, will be in Toronto, where the Rock hosts the Arizona Sting in a rematch of the 2005 NLL Champion's Cup Final.

Buffalo, Calgary and Portland do not begin play until Week Three, with the Bandits at Toronto, the Roughnecks hosting Edmonton, and the LumberJax at Arizona on Friday, 13 January.

Expansion Portland returns home to play its first-ever game at Rose Garden on 21 January, against Colorado.

A month later, the NLL will have its annual All Star Game at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, as part of a weekend which includes a Wings-Rock game and the induction of the inaugural NLL Hall of Fame class (Gary Gait, Paul Gait, Russ Cline, Chris Fritz, and the late Les Bartley).

The 88-game schedule concludes with a nine-match slate during the weekend of 14-15 April, including three heated home-and-home series (Buffalo-Philadelphia, Calgary-Colorado, Arizona-San Jose).

The 2006 NLL schedule follows (all times Eastern).

Fri 30 Dec          Philadelphia @ Colorado         9:00

Fri  6 Jan          Philadelphia @ Minnesota        8:00
Fri  6 Jan              San Jose @ Edmonton         9:30
Sat  7 Jan               Arizona @ Toronto          7:30
Sat  7 Jan             Rochester @ Colorado         9:00

Fri 13 Jan               Buffalo @ Toronto          7:30
Fri 13 Jan              San Jose @ Colorado         9:00
Fri 13 Jan              Edmonton @ Calgary          9:30
Fri 13 Jan              Portland @ Arizona          9:30
Sat 14 Jan               Toronto @ Rochester        7:35
Sat 14 Jan             Minnesota @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat 14 Jan              Colorado @ San Jose        10:30

Fri 20 Jan             Minnesota @ Calgary          9:30
Sat 21 Jan               Toronto @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat 21 Jan             Rochester @ Minnesota        8:00
Sat 21 Jan               Calgary @ Edmonton         9:30
Sat 21 Jan              Colorado @ Portland        10:30
Sat 21 Jan          Philadelphia @ San Jose        10:30

Fri 27 Jan              Edmonton @ Toronto          7:30
Fri 27 Jan               Calgary @ Arizona          9:30
Fri 27 Jan              Portland @ San Jose        10:30
Sat 28 Jan               Buffalo @ Rochester        8:05
Sat 28 Jan               Calgary @ Portland        10:30
Sun 29 Jan             Rochester @ Minnesota        6:00

Fri  3 Feb              Colorado @ Arizona          9:30
Fri  3 Feb             Minnesota @ Edmonton         9:30
Fri  3 Feb               Calgary @ San Jose        10:30
Sun  5 Feb               Toronto @ Calgary          3:30

Fri 10 Feb              Portland @ Buffalo          7:30
Fri 10 Feb             Rochester @ Toronto          7:30
Fri 10 Feb          Philadelphia @ Minnesota        8:00
Sat 11 Feb               Arizona @ Rochester        7:35
Sat 11 Feb               Buffalo @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat 11 Feb              San Jose @ Colorado         9:00
Sat 11 Feb               Toronto @ Edmonton         9:30

Fri 17 Feb              Edmonton @ Calgary          9:30
Sat 18 Feb             Minnesota @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat 18 Feb              San Jose @ Rochester        7:35
Sat 18 Feb              Portland @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat 18 Feb               Calgary @ Arizona          9:30

Fri 24 Feb          Philadelphia @ Toronto          7:30
Sat 25 Feb         All-Star Game @ Toronto
                        East Div v West Div          TBA

Fri  3 Mar             Minnesota @ Toronto          7:30
Fri  3 Mar              Edmonton @ Colorado         9:00
Sat  4 Mar             Rochester @ Portland         4:00
Sat  4 Mar             Minnesota @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat  4 Mar               Toronto @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat  4 Mar               Arizona @ Edmonton         9:30

Fri 10 Mar          Philadelphia @ Rochester        7:35
Fri 10 Mar              Edmonton @ Arizona          9:30
Sat 11 Mar               Toronto @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat 11 Mar             Rochester @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat 11 Mar              Colorado @ Calgary          9:30
Sat 11 Mar              Edmonton @ San Jose        10:30
Sat 11 Mar               Arizona @ Portland        10:30
Sun 12 Mar              Portland @ Colorado         9:00

Fri 17 Mar               Calgary @ Edmonton         9:30
Fri 17 Mar             Minnesota @ Portland        10:30
Sat 18 Mar               Buffalo @ Rochester        8:05
Sat 18 Mar              Colorado @ Arizona          9:30
Sat 18 Mar              Portland @ San Jose        10:30

Fri 24 Mar               Buffalo @ Minnesota        8:00
Sat 25 Mar               Arizona @ Philadelphia     1:30
Sat 25 Mar               Calgary @ Toronto          2:00
Sat 25 Mar             Rochester @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat 25 Mar              Colorado @ Edmonton         9:30
Sat 25 Mar              San Jose @ Portland        10:30

Fri 31 Mar              Portland @ Edmonton         9:30
Fri 31 Mar               Buffalo @ San Jose        10:30
Sat  1 Apr             Rochester @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat  1 Apr               Toronto @ Minnesota        8:00
Sat  1 Apr               Buffalo @ Arizona          9:30
Sat  1 Apr              San Jose @ Calgary          9:30
Sun  2 Apr              Edmonton @ Portland         5:00
Sun  2 Apr               Arizona @ Colorado         9:00

Sat  8 Apr          Philadelphia @ Toronto          7:00
Sat  8 Apr              Colorado @ Buffalo          7:30
Sat  8 Apr             Minnesota @ Rochester        7:35
Sat  8 Apr               Arizona @ Calgary          9:30
Sun  9 Apr              San Jose @ Minnesota        6:00

Fri 14 Apr          Philadelphia @ Buffalo          7:30
Fri 14 Apr               Calgary @ Colorado         9:00
Fri 14 Apr              Edmonton @ Portland        10:30
Fri 14 Apr              San Jose @ Arizona         10:30
Sat 15 Apr               Toronto @ Rochester        7:35
Sat 15 Apr               Buffalo @ Philadelphia     8:00
Sat 15 Apr              Portland @ Minnesota        8:00
Sat 15 Apr              Colorado @ Calgary          9:30
Sat 15 Apr               Arizona @ San Jose        10:30