Oh, the Penguins brought passion.
That couldn't be optional, given the extra energy coursing everywhere through PPG Paints Arena on this Tuesday night, the first home game since the Squirrel Hill shooting. Fans outside were lining up to contribute to collections for the families of the fallen. Prominent members of the local Jewish community were on hand. Injured Pittsburgh Police officers, too.
And then, this brilliant video, hurriedly orchestrated by the team for this occasion only, was shown on the big board...
We stand together.#StrongerThanHate pic.twitter.com/EU6G2iotIZ
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 30, 2018
And then 11 seconds of community silence, representing the 11 lives lost.
And finally, by the time Scott Schubert, our city's chief of police, strode to center ice for that unforgettable ceremonial faceoff, flapping that blue-striped flag with both hands to the standing, roaring crowd, the roof might as well have popped off:
[caption id="attachment_714136" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Mike Smidga, Scott Schuber and Anthony Burke of the Pittsburgh Police. - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS[/caption]
It felt, to be honest, as if it were no place for a hockey game.
As Sidney Crosby, a participant in that faceoff with the Islanders' Anders Lee, would word it, "We had a lot of different emotions going through our minds to start."
Can't even imagine. It's generally enough of a cross to bear for our local sports teams that fans keep expectations at perpetually, maybe irrationally high levels. But to carry that, then add the weight of performing in such an environment, right after the Steelers had more than held their own at Heinz Field on Sunday, right after that pregame ceremony ... well, there was always the chance that too much would be too much.
It sure wasn't because they didn't try.
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