The Vancouver Canucks played their first home game in front of fans in nearly 19 months on Sunday.
The team took on the Winnipeg Jets in its first pre-season home game of the year.
“We’re excited to have fans back in the arena again. I think it was a long year last year not having the support of our fans,” Canucks General Manager Jim Benning said at a pre-game press conference.
Under B.C.’s COVID-19 restrictions, Rogers Arena is operating at 50 per cent capacity. The crowd was made up exclusively of season ticket holders and their guests.
Benning said the organization remains optimistic that the capacity limit will be lifted before the team plays its regular-season home opener on Oct. 26.
“We’re hoping for the start of the year to be back at 100 per cent fans,” he said, adding the organization was in regular contact with provincial officials.
The team is expected to make an announcement about single-game ticket availability this week.
Indoor sporting events are among the non-essential activities covered by B.C.’s vaccine passport program, meaning all attendees will need to show proof of immunization to get in.
Sunday’s game also payed tribute to Indigenous peoples in honour of last week’s first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, and included a moment of silence for the victims of Canada’s residential schools.
Earlier Sunday, the Canucks announced they had finally inked contracts with two of the club’s biggest stars.
Defenceman Quinn Hughes has been signed to a six-year deal, while forward Elias Pettersson signed on to a three-year contract.