The Ottawa Senators may have taken a 2–1 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 1 of their second-round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the win on home ice seemed to be overshadowed by another narrative: Ottawa fans’ failure to show up.
The announced attendance at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday was 16,744, considerably less than full capacity.
Among those critical of Senators fans was Toronto Maple Leafs diehard Dart Guy, who ripped the team’s followers on Twitter for their apparent lack of commitment at showing up to a home playoff game.
Dart Guy, a.k.a. Jason Maslakow, rose to fame as a result of his appearance at Game 2 of the Leafs’ first-round series with the Washington Capitals — a road game at Verizon Center.
The Senators’ difficulty filling their home arena isn’t a new story. As the Canadian Press reported, only one of three home games versus the Boston Bruins in the first round boasted a sold-out crowd, and “declining crowds were a factor in the firing of Senators business management staff earlier in the season.”
Ottawa hosts the Rangers for Game 2 on Saturday afternoon, and they’ll doubtlessly be hoping more of the Senators faithful show up this time.
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