Categories: PenguinPoop

Pens Win Big on Closing Night at Mellon Arena

I Just got back from the Igloo.  That was quite an experience tonight.  The celebration for the closing of the Mellon Arena was quite cool.  There was a lot of nostalgia to be had this evening.  From the very beginning when they brought out all of the past great Penguin players to the TV commercials from eras past that they played on the jumbotron, there was a lot of reminiscing to be had.  During all of the breaks, the Penguins played highlights from seasons and even eras past.  There were video tributes to a number of players ranging from Mario Lemieux to Martin Straka featuring countless big goals and great plays.  They did interviews with some of the legends during breaks.  It was all very entertaining.

One last look at the old Igloo.

Many of the Penguins great players came to pay homage to the Igloo.

The collection of players that the Penguins organization trotted out onto the ice before the game was impressive.  To see guys like Ron shock and Syl Apps all the way up to the likes of Francois Leroux and of course the King himself, Mario Lemieux.   The player that drew the biggest cheer from the crowd had to be Gary Roberts.  This guy became as well loved here in Pittsburgh as just about anyone, in a short stint with the Penguins.  Craig Patrick got a very nice ovation as well.  I was glad to see that the crowd still appreciates what he did for the organization.   Having the opportunity to see all of those great players from past years on the ice with the current team was a fantastic way to say goodbye to the old barn.

The great Jeff Jimerson singing the National Anthem for the last time before a regular season game at the Mellon Arena.

By the way, Elvis was in the building tonight.  All we needed to make the whole thing complete were the shark fin flyers and Jaws music that used to be played for the power play.  I guess it made more sense when the power play was scary for the opposition.

I had a great time tonight.  Tonight was the first time I really thought about the fact that the Igloo will be no more.  Though I am certainly excited about the new facility, there are a lot of things I will miss about the Igloo.  I have been coming here for more than thirty years, since I was a little kid.  I have many memories in the old arena.

So, here is to reminiscing about the old facility and looking forward to the new one.

Reg Dunlop

Recent Posts

Penguins Update: Drafting Franchise Players a Luck of the Draw

As the Penguins’ fortunes spiral down, down, down to where Gollum and the San Jose…

11 hours ago

A Shot in the Dark: Penguins Blow Lead (Again), Lose to Lightning in OT

For our bumbling Penguins, the more things change, the more they stay the same. In…

2 days ago

NHL Update: Bruins Fire Montgomery

Less than two seasons after he guided Boston to a record setting 135-point season, the…

2 days ago

Penguins This ‘n’ ‘At

With nothing in particular to write about, I thought I’d scrape a few random thoughts…

3 days ago

Shark-Bait No More, Penguins Escape with 4-3 Shootout Win

I apologize ahead of time for the brevity and lateness of this recap, especially in…

5 days ago

Penguins Rally, Then Collapse in Dismal 6-2 Loss to CBJ

I usually have some idea of how I want to approach my PP posts. Well,…

6 days ago