For the 18,000 or so fans packed into PPG Paints Arena, there was no telling them the Penguins weren’t actually on the ice in front of them Sunday night — and none of them wanted to be back here in a few days.
Pittsburgh faithful poured into the stands for a sold-out Game 6 watch party, because what do you do when the boys bring home the Stanley Cup on the road? You get together anyway and have a party at home.
There were first-row fans banging on the glass as if Sidney Crosby and P.K. Subban were fighting on the other side. Every close-up of something Nashville-related was met with boos, every penalty and near-miss jeered, every big save by Matt Murray — scratch that, every save by Matt Murray — cheered.
Even the opening of doors four minutes early, at 6:56 p.m., evoked a rousing ovation from those waiting in line outside — an energy level sustained all the way through the Penguins’ 2-0 Cup-clinching win against the Predators more than 500 miles south.
I was at the Penguins watch party tonight at PPG Paints Arena, which was all the way turned uphttps://t.co/5RuyYbofsW pic.twitter.com/Ff254CsPRP
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) June 12, 2017
The game-watch tickets went on sale Friday at $10 each, all of which were gobbled up by Saturday, with the proceeds benefitting the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. There was also a big screen erected outside the arena for those who believed the franchise’s fifth NHL championship and second in as many years was so close they could taste it.
Radio personalities Mikey and Big Bob mastered the ceremonies within the arena, where chants of “Let’s go Pens!” and “We want the Cup!” got going early and often. Those in attendance could’ve watched at home on the couch, or at a bar, but the jumbotron was calling their names.
“Oh my god, I’m just so excited. Last year was awesome against San Jose, but I think this year’s going to be even better. It’s just been a nasty series so far,” said Chris Carter, a season ticket-holder and nurse from Conneaut Lake who sat right along the boards in her Crosby jersey, about 40 minutes before the puck dropped. “This is the first time I’ve been down this close. I’d actually like to be here for a game; this is awesome.”
Carter also attended the watch party this time last year, one that bore striking similarities to this one. Sunday night, Game 6, potential clincher — all the way down to there being a Pirates game across the river earlier in the day. Even the date was just one day off, as the Penguins won the Stanley Cup June 12 last year at San Jose.
Tyler Pearce, of DuBois, had to work last year and couldn’t go to that one. So he made sure he was in the building this time around, carrying around his inflatable replica of the Stanley Cup like a prized possession.
“Because we’re here to defend it, we’re here to keep it, that’s why,” he said. “The atmosphere, the fans, everything here — just to watch them, support them and be here, I love it.”
Pearce’s prop got him a couple appearances on the video board and even a free T-shirt tossed his way from Mikey and Big Bob. But one of the best accessories in the house was a simple homemade sign with a biting tagline. It featured a photo of country star Toby Keith holding a red Solo cup — a nod to his hit song of the same name - side-by-side with one of Crosby hoisting the Stanley Cup.
The caption read: “NASHVILLE CAN HAVE THIS CUP” next to Keith, “WE WILL KEEP THIS ONE” next to Crosby.
Bring it home, @penguins! #letsgopens pic.twitter.com/VNgMGrhgfB
— Candace (@rockcandy87) June 11, 2017
There was nary a Nashville fan in the vicinity, no catfishes thrown on the ice — on which the thing would’ve really stood out given that there was nothing else on it, either.
And yet, there was a pregame laser show like you’d have before any normal Penguins postseason matchup, with the hype video giving way to the NBC feed just after Faith Hill began her national anthem from Bridgestone Arena. When she was done, Tim McGraw was shown on the TV broadcast in Predators garb.
“BOO!”
Then Predators goalie Pekka Rinne.
“BOOO!”
Then Crosby’s nemesis, Subban.
“BOOOO!”
When the Uptown game-watch parties inside and outside got a shoutout from venerable play-by-play man Mike “Doc” Emrick, well, the crowd just let out an approving roar.
But that was nothing compared to when Patric Hornqvist put the puck past Rinne with 1:35 left and the goal horns blared, or when the clock struck zeroes and the Penguins completed their quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champs. It was deja vu, in a way, but no one felt any fatigue of winning.
Certainly not Carter, who said she’d be too stressed for a Game 7.
And certainly not Pearce, who spent the night raising and kissing his blow-up Cup, and offered his take on what the rest of the NHL would go to sleep thinking: “Wow, I wish I was a Penguins fan tonight.”
Brian Batko: bbatko@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrianBatko.
First Published: June 12, 2017, 3:16 a.m.
