BOSTON - The Boston Bruins will host Hockey is for Everyone Night in support of You Can Play on Thursday, February 1 during their home game against the St. Louis Blues at 7:00 p.m. Hockey is for Everyone is a larger initiative that uses the game of hockey - and the League's global influence - to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.
Bruins to Host Hockey is for Everyone Night on February 1
Brad Marchand will serve as the You Can Play Ambassador for the Boston Bruins for the second season in a row. You Can Play is a nonprofit committed to supporting the LGBTQ community and fighting homophobia in sports.
Diversity will be celebrated throughout tomorrow night's game. Singing the national anthem will be Nicole Talbot, a 16-year-old transgender teen who has been an active and visible advocate for transgender equality in Massachusetts and nationally. She has been featured in documentaries produced by Conde Nast, which has been viewed by 1.5 million people, and by the Freedom for All Massachusetts campaign. Nicole has just been named one of five GenderCool Champions who will lead a national storytelling campaign aiming to grow awareness of who transgender and gender-expansive children are versus what they are.
The Honor Guard at tomorrow night's game will be members of OUTVETS, a nonpartisan nonpolitical charitable organization dedicated to recognizing and honoring the contributions and sacrifices of LGBTQ Veterans, active service members, and their families through social interaction, community service, and public awareness.
The six Hockey is for Everyone Starting Lineup will be comprised of hockey players with diverse backgrounds. Serving as honorary co-captains will be Casey Buccigross, a member of the Weymouth U10 girls team living with juvenile diabetes, Jay Earley, a member of the Junior Railers and Shrewsbury Midgets who is hearing impaired, Jayden Gomes, who plays for the SCORE Boston squirt team, Paul LaVenture, who at 71 years of age is an active member of the Central Mass Rusty Blades, Bruce Li, originally from Shanghai and currently playing for the East Coast Wizards, and Dan Santos, a member of the Northeast Passage Sled Hockey Team & US Development Sled Hockey Team.
The Walmart Community Playmaker will honor Luke Dragsbaek, a 6th grade transgender boy, and his mom, Ann. Luke plays hockey and is a big Bruins fan. Luke is a student at Hopkinton Middle School. Luke, Ann, as well as the rest of their family, have been leaders in educating people regarding gender identity and transgender students and are part of the Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students' speakers' bureau.
The Bruins and Mass Lottery honor military members of the community with the 8-Spoked Salute. Tonight's recipient is Specialist Matthew Cain, a Maine native who has served in the Army for 4 years and remains in Army Reserves service. During his military career he was deployed for 9 month to Afghanistan in 2011 as an Airborne Infantryman. Since returning in 2012 he has become a member of the New England Warriors sled hockey team which unites wounded, ill and injured through the sport of hockey. For his service to our country he has been awarded 2 Army Commendation Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, the Combat Infantryman's Badge and many more.
Coaches, executives, and broadcasters will be wearing Hockey is for Everyone lapel pins and players will be using Pride Tape during warmups.
The Boston Bruins Foundation will be holding a silent auction and raffle for autographed sticks used by Bruins' players during warmups with Pride tape. All proceeds raised will benefit You Can Play. The 50/50 Raffle will support the Tom E. Smith Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to better the lives of those affected by and living with paralysis through financial and emotional support, as well as supporting preventive innovations that decrease the risk of spinal cord injuries.
The Boston ProShop on Level 2 of TD Garden and
BostonProShop.com
will also be selling Bruins Rainbow Pride hats and pucks with 10% of proceeds going to You Can Play Foundation.
ABOUT YOU CAN PLAY:
You Can Play works to ensure safety and inclusion for all who participate in sports, including LGBTQ athletes, coaches, and fans. You Can Play believes sports teams should focus on an athlete's skills, work ethic, and competitive spirit, not their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
