Chris Canfield has been an Arizona Coyotes season-ticket holder for several seasons. He believes there's no better way to watch the NHL than live inside an arena. He adores the communal aspect of hockey fandom, as rows packed with friends and strangers rise up in one voice to support the team.
But on Thursday's opening night against the San Jose Sharks, Canfield sat by himself in Gila River Arena, the seats around him zip-tied closed to create a two-seat perimeter. He was among 2,274 socially distanced fans in attendance, cheering through face coverings, as the Coyotes became the first NHL team to allow fans back in the stands since the league's arenas were shuttered last March.