There are only so many tricks in the bag when you’re hosting an outdoor hockey game; at the bottom of it all, the draw remains “hey, we’re playing hockey outside!” There aren’t a ton of ways to dress that up, and no need to try all that hard.
Still, the Penguins tried — and they brought real Penguins. Seven of them, actually. They flipped around on the “auxiliary rink” at Heinz Field, which was positioned on the far side of the actual rink.
Their names: Crosby, Kessel, Kunitz, Letang, Malkin, Murray and Sully. Get it? They were born at the Pittsburgh Zoo last year.