BOSTON (WHDH) - The roar of fans inside the TD Garden may not be as loud as it was before but it is a sound Bruins fans have been waiting to make for nearly a year.
Eager fans were finally allowed back in the arena Thursday to see their favorite players hit the ice.
“I’m pretty pumped,” Brytanie Mchugh said. “I got a Bruins tattoo over the summer; can’t wait to show it off.”
“I am one of the lucky few and I am one of the proud people who gets to scream, ‘Let’s go Bruins,’” said another fan bedecked in black and gold.
Usually seating is just a little less than 18,000 for hockey games, but only about 2,200 fans were allowed inside to watch the Bruins faceoff against the New York Islanders because of the state’s 12 percent capacity limit.
Die-hard fans raced to secure their seats in the stands for this milestone moment.
“We had to be here today, you know. It was one of those things we saw they were opening up, we saw tickets for tonight; we were like, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s make some history,’” Alonzo Madeira said.
Along with the crowd size limits, other guidelines were enforced like mask-wearing, mobile tickets, physically distanced seats between groups and no bags.
The fans said they were confident about the steps being taken.
“I feel like we are pretty safe,” Madeira said ahead of the game. “We read all the protocols that they have going on. I feel like everything is going to be pretty good in there.”
Many fans added that they hope their energy in the area will mean a better season for the Bruins.
“Last playoff was disappointing so now that the fans are back, hopefully we’ll be able to cheer them on; get them back into the 2019 and hopefully we can get the cup this year,” John LaFauci said.
The Islanders went on to beat the Bruins 4-3 in overtime.
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