One Degree of Separation

On Thursday, every TV in the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex was tuned to the women’s Gold Medal Game between the United States and Canada.

Girls and boys who currently play for the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Penguins Elite were locked into the action, with Team USA featuring four program alumni.

Ava McNaughton, born and raised in nearby Seven Fields, was one of the team’s goaltenders. She was joined by fellow netminder Gwyneth Philips of Athens, Ohio. They both played for Penguins Elite from 10U on, while forward Hannah Bilka and defenseman Laila Edwards – the first Black woman to play hockey for Team USA at the Olympics – also spent some time with the organization.

“That’s the beauty of the power of sport, right? This is the dream you chase, and that's where the value is, in the pursuit.” said Shaun Suisham, Director of the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Girls Hockey Program. “When our players have that special connection where they can truly relate to players in that actual moment, that vision board, that dream – and they have one degree of separation from that player – it makes it real.”

Suisham helped rearrange schedules as best he could, with one group foregoing their off-ice workout to watch. Girls that had to get on the ice for grumbled about missing the action. A group of boys set up shop with some Chipotle at a table in the Training Table café area. The biggest screen is in the lobby, right when you walk through the main entrance, above the reception desk. Players arranged chairs in rows so that they had a good view. They rode a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the game, getting vocal any time a big play happened.

Canada opened the scoring in the second period on a shorthanded tally. With 6:23 to go in regulation, they got a chance to build on their lead with a power play. The U.S. killed off the penalty, and pulled Aerin Frankel for the extra attacker. Edwards lined up a shot from the center point, with Hilary Knight tipping it past Ann-Renee Desbiens to even the score.

Everybody in the building screamed with excitement, but that was nothing compared to when Megan Keller scored one of the greatest goals of all time to win gold for Team USA.

“To see our girls, our boys, all of our players in our program come together on a day like this to celebrate those players is special,” Suisham said. “These are hockey players who play on an extremely elite level. It’s fun to watch for anyone who appreciates the game of hockey, specifically the girls in our program. I love those girls. This is exactly why we do this. We don’t know if they’re ever going to get there, but darn it, didn’t four girls who played in our program just do it?”

While talking in his office, a couple of the boys youth players stopped in.

“You know, the girl who got the assist played for the 12Us!” one of them said, referencing Edwards’ setup on Knight’s goal.

Watching the impact that a game like this had in real time on kids who spend so much time in the same rink those women once played in was such a cool experience.

“We are so proud of our girls, and they just lit a fire in the belly of so many of these young hockey players to go out and chase it. And that’s really special,” Suisham said.