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Pittsburgh Penguins Pay Tribute To Fallen Canadian Soldier With Anthem

By Cory Buck

Oct 22, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; General interior view as the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Philadelphia Flyers during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Flyers won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; General interior view as the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Philadelphia Flyers during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Flyers won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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In honor of the victim fallen at the shooting outside the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, the anthem singer at the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers tilt sang the Canadian anthem.

The tragic shooting at the National War Memorial in Ottawa spurred an instant reaction throughout the NHL. The game scheduled between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators was instantly postponed while many held their breath as the main Parliament building was shut down in an effort to avoid any further harm from the shooter. In honor of this tragedy, the anthem singer at Wednesday night’s game in Pittsburgh between the host Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers sang a beautiful rendition of the Canadian national anthem.

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One of the nastiest rivalries in sports took back stage for a night thanks to this tragic shooting that took the life of 24-year-old Cpl. Nathan Cirillo. For one night anyways, Pens and Flyers fans alike proudly sang both anthems at a much higher volume that one has come to expect from a regular season game.

Tragedy has often brought civic pride to the fore in professional sports. After the Boston Marathon bombing, the Boston Bruins staged a special tribute to the victims before their first game after those events. While we certainly don’t want to sit here and credit sports for having any real effect on the tragedies that affect lives in this country and now this continent, it helps to know that some things trump a sports feud, even one that runs as deep as the intra-state Pennsylvania hockey rivalry.

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