Editorial, Austin Daily Herald

Austin’s newest sports team, the Bruins, makes its debut on Saturday, marking the return to town of the North American Hockey League. It’s a welcome occasion.

Although the Bruins began their season a couple weeks ago at a tournament in Blaine, their 7:05 p.m. game on Saturday will, for most local hockey fans, mark the true beginning of the team’s tenure here. It will be nice to have the extra activity in Riverside Arena, which has been updated and generally spruced up to host the city’s new team.

Although many of the players are from distant home towns, the team does have Austin native John Kirby on its roster, helping cement a local connection.

Austin has always been a town that enjoys hockey, and the Bruins add one more way for fans to get into the game. It will be worth a trip to Riverside Arena Saturday night — or any of the nights this winter when the Bruins play.