Thursday night was supposed to happen in October, with a packed house at Gila River Arena, a red carpet walk for the players, fans lining the route into the building and the usual energy and buzz that accompanies the home opener for the Arizona Coyotes.
But when COVID-19 happened, the end of last season forced a delayed start to this new one, the virus continuing to affect everything in life. And while there will be fans inside the arena — a maximum of 3,450 in socially-distanced groups — so much will be different, from the sanitized fan experience all the way to the numerous player protocols that will have to be followed strictly in hopes of avoiding postponements of games.