Fans inject life into 1st Penguins game with spectators
Lights dimmed and music pulsed, as public address announcer Ryan Mill’s voice echoed through PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.
“I’ve been waiting a year to say it,” he roared. “You’ve been waiting a year to do it. It’s time to get up on your feet. Make it loud. Because here we go!”
The Penguins players burst through the tunnel and onto the ice. This time, for the first game since March 8, 2020, fans were back. Although just 2,800 people were permitted inside, and the main attraction, captain Sidney Crosby, was placed on the COVID-19 protocol list Tuesday morning, the fans filled the arena with their voices and provided a hockey team in a tight playoff race with a muchneeded shot in the arm.
The Penguins rode the momentum, several spirited “Let’s go Pens!” chants and a pair of Kasperi Kapanen goals to a 5-2 victory. In the process, they technically extended their sellout streak to 610 games.
“Even though there were 2,800 tonight, it felt like there were 20,000,” Mr. Kapanen said. “It was a great boost from them. It sure felt like things were kind of getting back to normal.”
Just a day earlier, the doors to the arena were flung open when Gov. Tom Wolf eased restriction on gatherings. Indoor
allow guests up to 15% capacity.
Among those who took advantage of the new rules included several vaccinated health care workers and even a few Flyers fans.
The injection of life the Penguins received from their fans spilled into the streets even before the game began. Penguins fan Nick Garver, a 42-year-old father, walked along Fifth Avenue with a tie-dye mask over his face and a 10-month infant in his arms. He woke up the morning of the game to find an email from the Penguins alerting him that fans would be permitted back in the arena.
“I opened it up and was like, ‘Wow, they’re letting people in,’ ” Mr. Garver said. “‘We’ve got to get these tickets.’ ”
He was sitting at his computer with the Ticketmaster queue refreshed on his browser the minute sales opened at 10 a.m. He snagged four tickets for his family of five. They made the twohour drive from Erie to Pittsburgh early, just in time to do some shopping and fill up on Primanti Bros. sandwiches.
The Penguins’ milestone was also a family one. Not only was it the Penguins’ first game of the 2021 season with fans. It would also be his 10-month-old Grayson’s first game ever.
“He was in my belly the last time he was here,” Jeanette Bearfield said.
The Penguins have taken a number of measures to make the game as safe as possible for spectators with increased cleaning measures and touchless features. Still, everyone feels a different level of comfort when it comes to attending games or social gatherings in general.
Two friends in their early 20s, Samantha Zarchak and Brandon Isles, work at UPMC Presbyterian, where they’ve seen firsthand the toll COVID-19 has taken on this community. Now that both are vaccinated, they said they feel better about the level of risk they’re incurring, not only for themselves, but also for others they might encounter when they leave the arena.
“It kind of relieves that little bit of anxiety,” said Mr. Isles, who works as a patient care technician. “We’re still in a pandemic. We’ve still got to look out for each other.”
Ms. Zarchak, who used to line up for Student Rush tickets, is doing a rotation in respiratory medicine.
“We both know what it’s like behind the scenes,” she said. “If I wasn’t vaccinated, I would be more hesitant. That’s what takes the weight off my shoulders.”
The excitement of the newly eased restrictions evidently broke down barriers among rival fan bases. Matt Kotor, 39, entered the arena with a salt and pepper beard poking through his mask — and the orange and black jersey of Flyers captain Claude Giroux on his back. Although he lives in Murrysville, his hockey roots grew from the other side of the state.
When he found a group of friends advertising two extra tickets on Facebook, he pounced.
“I don’t know if they knew [I was a Flyers fan],” he said, laughing.
Penguins fans got the last laugh … or maybe jeer, rather. With time winding down and the game virtually in hand, Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson caught goalie Carter Hart leaving his net for an extra attacker and buried a gutsy shot from his offensive blue line.
A smattering of fans taunted the goalie with “Carrrrrrter, Carrrrrrter, Carrrter” chants.
When the buzzer sounded, the Penguins tapped their sticks on the ice and then raised them aloft. A game that began with fans welcoming their Penguins onto the ice ended with the team repaying the gesture.
“We’re grateful for the loyalty that our fans showed during this difficult time,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “We feel like we have some of the most loyal fans in sports. These guys have been so supportive of our players over the years. I know our players are appreciative of that.”