The game that started it all; Paint the Rink Pink, the game everybody looks forward to
Published 6:00 am Friday, February 1, 2019
- Austin’s Jaden Shields charges into the Magicians’ zone during the second period last year at Riverside Arena. Herald file photo
If there is a single game that outshines all of the others for the Austin Bruins, it is the Paint the Rink Pink game.
The annual game inspired Austin to start it’s annual Paint the Town Pink celebration and it has a lot of meaning on and off the ice for the Bruins.
“For us as an organization, it’s the date that we circle on the calendar,” Bruins co-owner Mike Cooper said. “It’s our big game of the regular season and it’s a big event for the community. It’s a great experience, not only for the community and our fans, but I think it’s also a great experience for our players.”
Just like year’s past, the game will feature a jersey auction and skits from the players and it will also have the now famous pink ice.
Ann Forland bids on a jersey during the jersey auction following the Paint the Rink Pink game Herald file photo
It also comes at a point in the season when the Bruins are looking to make a push.
With the Bruins sitting in second place, Austin head coach Steve Howard said he wants his team to start to make a name for itself down the stretch.
“We can’t just sit back and glide through the rest of the season. We’ve got to go hard,” Howard said. “We’ll be on the road for quite a bit the next few games and it’ll be a good test for us. We’ve got to make sure we go into barns and put an impression on those guys that they don’t want to play us.”
As for the PTRP game, Howard knows his team will be up and ready to go.
“Everybody gets pretty excited for this game,” Howard said. “I think everyone’s got something to play for whether it’s for a loved one, or whether it’s the fact that it’s go time right now. There’s a lot of things in the second half that have to happen and it’s a big night for us. We need to make sure we’re ready to go that night.”
Paint the Rink Pink began in 2010 in the inaugural season for the Bruins in 2010. The team raised $24,680 last season and the Bruins have raised a total of $242,089 over the past eight seasons.
