Local lacrosse fans are getting an early Christmas gift this year: they won鈥檛 have to wait until January to watch the Vancouver Stealth.

The National Lacrosse League has bumped up the start of the 2018 regular season with the Vancouver Stealth set to debut on Dec. 8.

Last year, the league began the season in late December and the Stealth did not play until the first week of January.

Vancouver will host the Colorado Mammoth on Dec. 8 at the 91原创 Events Centre.

The Mammoth ended Vancouver鈥檚 season in the NLL post-season in 2017.

鈥淲e take great pride in developing the best possible schedule for both our fans and teams,鈥� said NLL commissioner Nick Sakiewicz, in a press release.

Six of the Stealth鈥檚 18 games will be on Friday nights with the remaining dozen on Saturday nights.

Vancouver does have one weekend featuring back-to-back games as they are in Colorado on Jan. 26 before returning to the LEC to host the defending champion Georgia Swarm the next night.

The Stealth also have two home-and-home series, one against the Saskatchewan Rush in early February and the other against the Mammoth in March.

Vancouver also plays three consecutive home games March 31, April 13 and April 21.

Full schedule

Dec. 8 at Colorado

Dec. 15 Calgary

Dec. 29 at New England

Jan. 6 Toronto

Jan. 13 at Buffalo

Jan. 26 at Colorado

Jan. 27 Georgia

Feb. 3 at Saskatchewan

Feb. 10 Saskatchewan

Feb. 24 New England

March 3 at Saskatchewan

March 17 Colorado

March 24 at Colorado

March 31 Calgary

April 13 Saskatchewan

April 21 Calgary

April 28 at Georgia