The Portland Pirates’ annual Pink in the Rink Night, Military Appreciation Night and New Year’s Eve game will be played at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston next season.

Those three games were among six guaranteed home dates granted to the Pirates by the AHL.

“These are the dates we requested because of the nature of these games and it gives us the lead time to go out and start selling them,” Portland Pirates CEO/managing owner Brian Petrovek said. “Every (AHL) team got their preferred first six (games) as well.”

Due to the timing of the completion of the $33 million renovation to the Cumberland County Civic Center, the Pirates will play their first 12 home games next season in Lewiston,

“Our expectation is we’ll kick off the home schedule at the Civic Center during the month of January, hopefully in the earlier part of it,” Petrovek said.

The Pirates will open their home schedule at the Colisee Oct. 12 with Boy Scout Night. It will be their second consecutive home opener in Lewiston.

On Oct. 19, the Pirates will wear special jerseys for their seventh annual Pink in the Rink event for breast cancer awareness.

The Pirates also will wear commemorative jerseys for Military Appreciation Night on Nov. 8 as part of Veteran’s Day weekend.

The annual Word of Life Night is Nov. 15 and the Pirates will be home on Black Friday, Nov. 29.

The Pirates will end 2013 with their 18th annual New Year’s Eve game, featuring an indoor fireworks display after the game.

When the AHL publishes its complete schedule in August, even more of the Pirates’ games will be scheduled for the Colisee during the first 21/2 months of the season.

“The expectation is there will be a few (more) games within that window and perhaps a few after that window to add up to a total of 12 games.” Petrovek said.

 

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH