BOSTON -The Boston Bruins will host Hockey is for Everyone Night in support of You Can Play on Thursday, January 17 during their home game against the St. Louis Blues at 7:00 p.m. at TD Garden. 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 Thursday, January 17
Diversity will be celebrated throughout the game. Performing the national anthem will be 17-year-old Nicole Talbot of Beverly, MA. She previously performed the national anthem at Hockey is for Everyone night at TD Garden in 2018. Nicole is a passionate advocate for transgender youth and played a major role in passing and protecting anti-discrimination legislation here in Massachusetts. She has recently been named a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) National Youth Ambassador and has been featured in documentaries produced by HRC, Associated Press, NowThis, and Them. Nicole has conducted countless interviews for major national media outlets including the New York Times, NBC, Teen Vogue, Boston Herald and Megyn Kelly Today. She is a founding Champion of the GenderCool Project, a national campaign that is changing the narrative about transgender youth, focusing on who they are instead of what they are.
Hockey players of diverse backgrounds will serve as the Hockey is for Everyone Blue Line Captains. Serving as the Blue Line Captains will be 11 year old defenseman Bruce Audette of Wilmington, MA who plays for the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association and Wilmington Youth Hockey, 11 year old forward Casey Buccigross of Weymouth, MA who plays for Weymouth Youth Hockey and is living with juvenile diabetes, 11 year old forward Kaili Dawson of Shirley, MA who plays for the Wachusett Wolfpack Squirt Major team, 13 year old forward Luke Dragsbaek of Hopkinton, MA, LGBTQ activist who plays for Hopkinton Middle School, 16 year old forward Colby Hall of Auburn, MA who plays for the North Passage Wildcats of the Northeast Sled Hockey League, and 85 year old goalie Bill Parsley of Braintree, MA who has been playing hockey for 43 years and currently plays for the Quincy Bald Eagles.
The B-Inclusive Athlete Spotlight will honor Sydney Meininger. Sydney has been involved in Special Olympics for eight years as an athlete, volunteer, and Youth Activation Committee member. She graduated from Nashoba Regional High School in 2018 and is currently in the school's transition program. Sydney plays soccer and basketball in community programs and is a member of the Nashoba High School Unified track & field team. Sydney enjoys sharing her Special Olympics story. She makes a point to highlight that being on a school sports team makes her feel included in her community. In February, Sydney will be traveling to San Diego as a member of the 2019 Class of Unified Champion Schools Youth Ambassadors to work on bringing Special Olympics sports to even more high schools across Massachusetts.
Bruins players will be using Pride tape during warmups, and the Boston Bruins Foundation will be holding a silent auction and raffle for select autographed sticks. 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 ProShop on Level 2 of TD Garden will also be selling Bruins Rainbow Pride hats and pucks.
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.
