Culture

NHL to host first-ever joint Pride game between the Penguins and Sabres

By Jordan Robledo

4th April 2021

Pride will be starting early this year. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres are set to team up for the National Hockey League’s first ever joint Pride game. 

The LGBTQ+ celebration is set to take place on 17 April at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. 

Senior director of the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, Amanda Susko, expressed her excitement for the game in a new statement. 

“The Penguins are thrilled to partner with the Buffalo Sabres to celebrate Pride this season,” she said.

“With a condensed schedule and limited capacities, we identified an opportunity to unite our teams to spotlight this event and the LGBTQ+ community through the national TV broadcast.

“As teamwork is at the heart of hockey, we have collaborated with the Sabres on every step and are proud to host this first in the NHL together.”

Both teams will wrap their sticks with rainbow tape and wear jerseys that feature a Progress Pride Flag during the pre-game warm-ups. 

Fans will also have the opportunity to take home rainbow taped sticks, limited edition pucks and a variety of signed items from the players during a seven-day fundraising auction.

Money from the fundraiser will benefit the You Can Play LGBTQ+ organisation and Pittsburgh Tigers LGBTQ+ friendly hockey team.

“Together with the Penguins, we hope this joint Pride Game will represent the spirit of inclusion that we know exists in our organisation and our community,” said the Vice President of community relations, Rich Jureller.