The Utica Comets will make history early next month when they take the ice for their annual Military Night against the Hartford Wolfpack.
On Monday afternoon, Comets president Robert Esche, in conjunction with Chapter 490 Military Order of the Purple Heart, announced that the team will be honoured as the first Purple Heart Hockey Club and will be just the eighth professional sports team in the country to be awarded the honour.
The Comets will join franchises such as the Kansas City Royals, Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, Texas Rangers and Buffalo Bisons on the short list of recipients and will rock a fantastic custom jersey for their game against the Wolfpack.
Vancouver’s AHL affiliate has been committed to honouring veterans and military members since their inaugural season in 2013 and have helped raised money for the local CNY Veteran’s Outreach Center, Wohl Family Veterans Legal Clinic, and many other causes through numerous military appreciation nights year after year.
The Comets will get the night started with an Official Proclamation Ceremony that will feature local military and Gold Star families and will include the raising of the Purple Heart Flag as part of a new Military Branch Memorial outside the arena. The Proclamation Ceremony will conclude the unveiling of a Battlefield Cross monument that will be a permanent addition to the Plaza, and it will represent the lives that were lost on the battlefield.
There will also be a pre-game ceremony on the ice, where the team will unveil a Purple Heart banner, and will be followed by the ceremonial puck drop with representatives from each major conflict since World War II.
(H/T Twitter/UticaComets)
