PROVIDENCE – Professional hockey will return to Rhode Island in October.
The Providence Bruins announced late Thursday the first six home dates at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center for the upcoming 2021-22 season, including opening night on Saturday, Oct. 16. That night will be the first time the P-Bruins – the American Hockey League affiliate of the Boston Bruins – will play in the Ocean State, and in front of fans, since before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the state.
Additionally, this is the first such announcement of any events set to take place at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, which had been used as a mass testing site and is currently being used as a mass testing site during the pandemic, since March 2020. The JLC Live Residential Construction Show is slated to be held at the R.I. Convention Center next door Aug. 12-14.
In May 2020, the AHL canceled the rest of its season because of the pandemic, with the P-Bruins at the time having the best record in the AHL Eastern Conference. The team has been playing its home schedule in the abbreviated 2020-21 AHL season in Marlborough, Mass., at the New England Sports Center – owned by P-Bruins Owner and Chairman H. Larue Renfroe – in front of no fans.
The full 2021-22 schedule is still to be announced. The other confirmed P-Bruins home dates for the upcoming season are:
- Saturday, Oct. 23
- Friday, Nov. 19
- Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022
- Saturday, March 12
- Saturday, March 26
Ticket information can be found on the P-Bruins’ website.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
