BOSTON – The Boston Bruins will host their fourth Centennial Era Night to celebrate "New Blood, New Beginnings” (1986-2000) on Saturday, January 20 during their home game against the Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m. at TD Garden.
Following the Lunch Pail A.C. era, the late '80s and '90s proved to be a time of transition and new beginnings for the Black & Gold. With several roster changes in Boston, veterans including Ray Bourque and Rick Middleton joined forces with new talent such as Cam Neely and Reggie Lemelin to extend the success of the franchise. This group reached two Stanley Cup Finals (1988,1990) and ended the Bruins' residency in the Boston Garden, becoming the first team to play at the FleetCenter (now TD Garden) at the start of the 1995-96 season.
Ahead of the game, the Bruins will host a pregame ceremony to pay homage to one of the most iconic moments of the era – the breaking of the Montreal “jinx” on April 26, 1988. Between 1946 and 1987, the Bruins and Canadiens met in the Stanley Cup playoffs 18 times, with Montreal winning all 18 matchups. In 1988, the Bruins shifted the momentum with a 4-1 series win over Montreal, ending a 45-year drought. This marked the beginning of a phase during which Boston went on to win four out of the five subsequent playoff matches with their Original Six rival. The on-ice ceremony will be highlighted by special appearances from Bruins alumni from 1986-2000.
Saturday’s game will also feature special in-arena contests and entertainment that will carry a “New Blood, New Beginnings.” theme. In addition, the Bruins will don their Centennial alternate jerseys for this special game. To view the full alternate jersey schedule, click here.
Also on Saturday night, ticketed fans will be able to collect the fourth mini pennant in a series of five, each of which will be given out at turnstiles at various Era Nights throughout the season.
To kick off the “New Blood, New Beginnings” celebrations, the Bruins will host their fourth live recording event for the “Cue the Memories” podcast series, presented by Coors Banquet, with special guests Cam Neely and Bob Sweeney on Friday, January 19, at the Kowloon Restaurant in Saugus, Mass., from 5:30-8 p.m. Fans can listen to past episodes of the "Cue the Memories" podcast series on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
Additionally, fans can shop an exclusive “New Blood, New Beginnings” merchandise collection at the ProShop powered by ’47 and online at BostonProShop.com for a limited time only. The ProShop powered by ’47 will be open all week long, Sunday to Saturday from 12-6 p.m., including one hour postgame on gamedays.
About the Boston Bruins Centennial
The Boston Bruins organization is the first U.S.-based NHL club, and third overall, to reach 100 years of play in 2023-24, following Toronto in 2017 and Montreal in 2009. The Boston Bruins previously announced a full slate of special events and initiatives for its Centennial celebration. From content and storytelling to celebrations with fans, community and legacy programming and an exclusive merchandise collection, the Bruins' Centennial celebration is intended to unite fans, alumni and associates, celebrate the team's rich history and lay the groundwork for the next 100 years of Bruins hockey. Further details regarding the Boston Bruins Centennial celebration can be found at BostonBruins.com/Centennial.
