Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson shows his support for Pride Night. Since then, Brian Burke and his son Patrick have been strong advocates for LGBTQ inclusion in sports. Burke’s son Brendan was an openly gay manager of the Miami University of Ohio hockey team tragically killed in a car accident in 2010.
One of the forces behind the event was Brian Burke, the Penguins’ president of hockey operations.
The idea of a joint Pride Game took hold during the 2020-21 season when a pandemic-shortened schedule and capacity restrictions inspired both teams to get creative with their promotional calendars. But judging by the footage of every Bills tailgate, they’ve got it covered. With 220 miles separating both cities, Buffalo fans apparently just had to yell a little louder. It’s about the support we have for the LGBTQ-plus community,” said Penguins forward Jason Zucker. Which made this contest the NHL’s second joint Pride Game with both teams paying tribute to their LGBTQ fans. What does make it different, however, is that it was also a Pride celebration for the Buffalo Sabres, the Penguins’ opponent that night at PPG Arena. Like all Pride Nights, that’s something we highlight and make sure to take note of, but it doesn’t necessarily stand out as unique all by itself. The NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins hosted a Pride Night last night.