Crosby receives heartwarming thank you from Johnstown Warriors' all girls team

The Johnstown Warriors' newly founded girls ice hockey team had a big thank you for Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby as he took the ice to battle the Anaheim Ducks last Thursday. Crosby is the founder and has a huge supporting role in the Sidney Crosby's Little Penguins Learn to Play program. The program, since 2008, has given full equipment, featuring No. 87 jerseys, instruction and guidance to more than 12,000 children learning the sport. As fate would have it, 17 young girls from the Johnstown Warriors' team all got their ice hockey start with Crosby's program.

After suffering a loss to another youth team, the Warriors' head coach Sheri Hudspeth had an idea to paint smiles back on the faces of her young team. She hinted at the possibility of a rematch, but had other plans in mind. The team loaded up, and unknowingly headed towards PPG Paints Arena, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team quickly became excited over the realization that they were going to get to see No. 87 in action.

Ms. Hudspeth acquired tickets to the Penguins vs. Ducks game through the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, which held a celebration of its 10th anniversary and its "Kids Are The Future" focus at the game. The Penguins organization was overjoyed to learn of the 17 little penguins coming together on the Warriors' team, and welcomed them to the event with open arms.

Coach Hudspeth had one more trick up her sleeve, as well. She printed signs for her young players to hold up against the glass during warm-ups and again in section 106, which spelled out "Crosby's girls 87." The team also had team representatives gift a Johnstown Warriors' jersey to Crosby, as well as autographed 8x10 photos of each of the girls as Little Penguins.

"This is what hockey is all about" said the coach. "This night will be memorable for the rest of their lives."

I and @peterdianapghpg got to see three great teams last night and one of them was @Coach_Sheri's "Crosby's Girls." https://t.co/VPk3cUDf51 pic.twitter.com/6LGu8qGVRh— Bob Batz Jr. (@bobbatzjr) October 11, 2019

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