Bruins vs. Canadiens Ticket Demand Surges as “Heated Rivalry” Sparks New Energy in NHL Fanbase
BOSTON - The Bruins and Canadiens don’t need much help generating buzz. When these two Original Six powerhouses clash, history practically sells the tickets itself. But this week, something different is driving the surge in interest - and it’s not just the on-ice action.
StubHub is reporting a massive spike in demand for Saturday night’s Bruins-Canadiens game at TD Garden, with ticket interest running six times higher than the average for this matchup. That’s not a typo - six times.
What’s fueling the frenzy? A hit TV show that’s taken the hockey world by storm.
“Heated Rivalry,” a scripted drama airing on Crave and HBO Max, centers on a romantic storyline between two male hockey players from rival teams based in Montreal and Boston. Since its premiere in late November, the show has struck a chord far beyond the entertainment world, creating ripple effects that are now being felt at the box office.
StubHub says ticket demand for this particular Bruins-Canadiens game is 35% higher than the typical faceoff between the two franchises. Even more telling: 82% of buyers are first-timers - that’s triple the usual rate. That’s a major influx of new fans stepping into the rink, and it’s not hard to see why.
As of Thursday night, balcony seats were still available - if you’re willing to shell out $199 each. On the other end of the spectrum, premium seats near center ice, flanking the penalty boxes, were listed at a jaw-dropping $16,068 per pair - though that’s actually a discount from their $22,112 peak.
The Bruins themselves have leaned into the moment. Back in December, the team’s social media team posted a playful nod to the show during a Canadiens-Bruins game. This week, they followed up with another post previewing Saturday’s matchup, tapping into the momentum and online buzz that continues to build.
For fans like Kevin Corsino, 33, the moment is bigger than hockey. Corsino is a board member of Boston Pride Hockey, an LGBTQ+ league that plays twice weekly in the Greater Boston area.
He grew up in a hockey-loving family and has been on the ice for as long as he can remember. But for much of his life, the sport didn’t always feel like a welcoming place.
“I never felt like there was a space for being able to be open, be a little bit more myself,” Corsino said. “It wasn’t really a welcoming environment. That was for the majority of my time growing up - a lot of battling homophobia and slurs.”
It wasn’t until college that Corsino began to find more inclusive spaces in the game. Now, with a show like “Heated Rivalry” gaining traction, he sees something powerful happening - a mirror being held up to the sport, and fans seeing themselves reflected in it.
“With the show, the Boston-Montreal dynamic is so true to what we see. Certainly for folks like Boston Pride Hockey, certainly for myself and other members, you do kind of see a little bit of similarity.
You kind of see yourself in the mirror,” Corsino said. “You’re like, ‘Oh my God, this is in our backyard.
This could be like the Bruins and Canadiens.’ Obviously it’s not, but it’s exciting.”
And it’s not just this one game. StubHub reports NHL single-game ticket sales are up 82% compared to last season. There’s been a 40% increase in overall interest for NHL tickets, a 75% spike in ticket searches, and a 5% bump in first-time buyers - all since the show premiered on November 28.
The show has become a flashpoint in broader conversations about inclusion in hockey - a sport that’s long grappled with how to better support LGBTQ+ players and fans. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently acknowledged the show’s impact, saying he binge-watched it in one night and that the league has “meaningfully embraced” the LGBTQ+ community through a range of initiatives and partnerships.
Still, some - including actor François Arnaud, who stars in the series - have called on the NHL to go further and demonstrate “actual openness to diversity.”
On the ice, players are finding their own ways to show support. Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy used rainbow-colored tape on his stick during warmups ahead of Thursday’s 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. The game was part of the team’s “Hockey is for Everyone” Night at TD Garden.
“I think it’s growing and I think the league’s done great things,” McAvoy said. “Here within our room, we’ve tried to do things as well to echo that message and make everyone feel safe and comfortable within the game. It’s very important.”
While McAvoy hasn’t seen the show himself, he’s heard the buzz and recognizes the role it’s playing in expanding the game’s reach.
“From what I’ve heard of that show, it’s been growing the game a lot in support of that community,” he said. “That stuff’s all awesome.
It’s awesome for hockey. It’s awesome for everybody.
I’m happy. I’m happy that we won tonight on this night.
Hopefully a lot of people feel the support of the Bruins.”
And that’s really the heart of it - creating a space where everyone feels like they belong in the game. For Corsino, the show’s popularity is more than just a cultural moment. It’s a signal that the sport is moving in the right direction.
“We’re seeing a show that people are attracted to (and) they want to see more of. I think that’s really telling,” he said.
“There’s been so many immense strides over the years around acceptance and visibility in the sport. We’ve got to continue that.
We want to make sure that folks can see themselves in the game and feel like there’s a space for them.”
Saturday night’s game may just be another regular-season matchup on the schedule. But with the buzz around “Heated Rivalry” and a new wave of fans walking through the doors at TD Garden, it’s shaping up to be something more - a moment where hockey meets culture, and the game opens its arms a little wider.