When the Capitals earned a power play early in Sunday’s win against the Flyers, a “ref, you suck” chant rang around Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. And Washington defenseman John Carlson loved the sound.
“I’m tired of the [fake] crowd noise,” Carlson said. “I like to hear some booing and some cheering — normal things that go on in an NHL game, even though it’s not a packed house like it shouldn’t be. But it means a lot to the players, I think. It feels a lot more natural for us.”
Almost a year after the first coronavirus shutdowns changed everyday life and kept fans away from sporting events, supporters — albeit in limited numbers — are making their way back into arenas.