County fans join the throng
PITTSBURGH — Butler County residents joined an estimated 650,000 hockey fans from all over Western Pennsylvania and beyond in downtown Pittsburgh on Wednesday to welcome the Stanley Cup champion Penguins home.
Carlie Comer of Lyndora waited for the parade near Point State Park in a sea of Penguins shirts. Comer was thrilled at the turnout for the victory parade.
“It's amazing to see all the support for the team and that fans set aside time to come out here and celebrate,” Comer said. “It's like a giant family.”
While a Penguins fan herself, Laurie Coyne of Butler went to the parade because her daughter is a huge fan.
Coyne said in addition to excelling at hockey, the Penguins players are good examples for the young men and women who idolize them.
“They're respectable men and as a team, you don't see them getting into scandals,” Coyne said. “They follow (team owner and former player) Mario Lemieux's example.”
Another excited local at the parade was Ethan Geibel, 10, of Center Township who was able to high-five one of his favorite players.
“Evgeni Malkin was carrying the Cup down the road and he gave it to (Chris) Kunitz,” Ethan recalled. “When he ran back to get into his truck, he ran by me and I high-fived him.”
Ethan, who plays hockey with the Butler Valley Dawgs, was shocked at No. 71's size.
“It was pretty cool how his hand was really big,” he said.
Ethan also got lucky at last year's victory parade.
“Nick Bonino ran by and I touched him,” said Ethan.Shelby Scott of Slippery Rock attended the parade with her boyfriend, Eric Young.Scott's favorite player is defenseman Kris Letang, who she admired as a young Dek hockey player while Letang was with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.Scott said she was leery about attending the parade because of the large crowd and potential parking limitations.“I'm glad I did end up going because I would have regretted (not going),” she said.She said teamwork and young players stepping up to cover for injured players when necessary are two reasons the team fared so well in the 2016-17 season.“It was a great season and a great parade,” Scott said. “I can't wait until next year.”
