CP Photo: Lucy Chen
Hockey fans cheer on the Pittsburgh Penguins during a playoff rally in Downtown Pittsburgh on Fri., May 13, 2022.
The energy among the small crowd of fans in Downtown Pittsburgh was energetic, with the mayor and county executive leading with the Penguins signature chant, “Let’s go Pens!”
“Pittsburgh, sometimes we get divided around city suburb political events, but we're all united in black and gold tonight for the Penguins,” Fitzgerald tells Pittsburgh City Paper.
Tonight, the Penguins return to the Stanley Cup Championships for the 2021-22 season, facing the Rangers for game six of the Eastern First Round. This series marks the first time the Pittsburgh Penguins have played the Rangers in the playoffs in six years, so the excitement for fans is high, as the rivalry between the two teams has only grown. The Pens are currently are up 3-2 in the series, and a win would move them to the next round.
In honor of the Penguins, Gainey and Fitzgerald declared May 13 as “Black and Gold Day” throughout Allegheny County and all of Pittsburgh, and fans at the rally, including Gainey and Fitzgerald, were wearing their black and gold in support of the team.
Penguins star player Sidney Crosby was ruled out to play for the game against tonight's game with the Rangers, which concerns some fans, but Gainey expressed confidence that the team would still persevere.
“You don’t take our star player and don’t expect us to be pumped,” says Gainey. “We take adversity to our advantage!”
Some fans shared the same positivity for the hockey team and were still excited for tonight's game.
“I think Sid getting knocked out last game, I think they’re gonna want to show everyone they could still win,” says Ken Opipery, a fan at the rally.
F.N.B. Corporation will once again be placing their big screen on the corner of Centre Avenue and Logan Street across from the PPG Arena, where fans who didn’t get tickets for the 7 p.m. game can still cheer on the Penguins outside the arena.
