SUDBURY - “Crosby,” a large group of local hockey fans chanted outside of the Sudbury Community Arena on Sunday morning, beckoning NHL great Sidney Crosby to give them an autograph.
Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk was another popular choice among fans, many of whom were children, who gathered for the Kraft Hockeyville event.
At 7 p.m., the Pittsburgh Penguins will face off against the Ottawa Senators at the Sudbury Community Arena.
Although not in their home community, it’s actually better this way, Tracey-Lynn McAleese told Sudbury.com. An Elliot Lake resident, she joined her daughter and grandchildren at the red carpet event outside of the arena, where hockey players signed things for fans on their way into the building.
With a much larger capacity than the Elliot Lake Arena, she said that with the Sudbury arena, “everybody gets the opportunity.”
Tickets were given out at Elliot Lake schools and area hockey associations, with Elliot Lake-area residents also afforded the opportunity to receive tickets through draws.
As such, although the event is taking place in Sudbury, it remains very much an Elliot Lake celebration.
Both NHL teams practiced on the Sudbury Community Arena ice at midday today and answered questions from students. The Penguins face off against the Senators at 7 p.m.
The Penguins’ roster and game notes are available by clicking here.
Key players to watch include Crosby for the Penguins and Tkachuk for the Senators, who both lead their teams in points with a respective 94 and 74.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.