from Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet,
The building was rocking and the mullets were flowing.
In short, the anticipation and build-up for the first NHL game at Mullett Arena actually lived up to the hype, as the music pulsated, the drum line banged away and the student section brought the electricity.
There was a sincere element of the unknown that came along with playing an NHL game on a college campus in a rink that only holds 5,000 fans and change.
The Coyotes provided a nod to their past and a glimpse of the future by having former captain Shane Doan and his son Josh (who is the captain of the Arizona State Sun Devils and a Coyotes draft pick) on hand for the ceremonial puck drop.
As expected, the bulk of those in the building were fans that were dressed in Coyotes gear, and they did their part to make sure this was a memorable atmosphere, chanting, cheering and clapping throughout.
There was definitely a college hockey vibe at times, with the chorus of “It’s all your fault” being directed at Jets goalie David Rittich after the two goals were allowed and the “You can’t do that” which was voiced toward the Jets players who committed an infraction and made their way to the penalty box.
There were some Jets fans that made the trek, along with a smattering of supporters of other teams, ranging from the Seattle Kraken to the Minnesota North Stars.
Winnipeg won the game 3-2 in OT, highlights are below.
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