Wishing for a whiteout

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This article was published 03/08/2020 (2034 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After a Jets playoff win, Winnipeg streets are usually flooded with a sea of white, but on Monday afternoon just a single white jersey could be found inside a downtown bar as the team edged the Calgary Flames 3-2 to tie the best-of-five qualifier series at a game apiece.

People filled five socially distanced tables at Tavern United by Bell MTS Place during Monday’s game. Every second table and booth displayed a white sign informing customers the table was unavailable. Unlike last year, when people dressed in white, filling the streets and lining up to get into bars, downtown was less Hockeyville and more ghost town.

“This is a hockey city,” said Brittany Kauenhowen, a fan watching the game at the sports bar. “I feel like no matter how many people are in the bar, this is going to be a city that celebrates hockey for what it is, as it is. It’s different. It’s weird. There’s like five people in here, but I’m hyped, I’m excited, just like I was at the Whiteout parties last year.”

Clapping echoed through the bar, as Jansen Harkins opened the scoring for the Jets in the first period. Last year, fans would yell, high-five each other and chant ‘go Jets go’ throughout the game, but COVID-19 has changed that. Few fans made for more muted celebrations at the bar on Monday afternoon.

“For lack of a better word, it sucks,” said Gordon Lawrie, sitting with three friends in a booth. “But they’re doing the best they could. I think the NHL did a hell of a job putting this together with hub cities… we miss the Whiteouts; it would be nice to have some Whiteouts again.”

With only two Jets jerseys in the entire building, two Calgary Flames fans seemed to blend in with the crowd. Vance Porter and his son, Noah, sat in the corner cheering against the home team. Though it probably helped that after Matthew Tkachuk’s role in Mark Scheifele’s injury during Game 1, Noah figured it was best to leave his Tkachuk jersey in the car.

“I didn’t want to get the crap beaten out of me by a bunch of Jets fans,” Noah said with a laugh.

The pair were in Winnipeg visiting close friends and decided to watch the game near Bell MTS Place to experience the atmosphere. Vance said he was surprised at how empty the bar was and how few jerseys were being worn.

“It’s definitely weird being in Winnipeg and watching the Flames play Winnipeg in Edmonton. It’s definitely strange seeing that,” said Noah.

On Saturday, Tavern United had a few more tables filled on their rooftop patio. The restaurant has four TVs on the rooftop and a projector TV to show the games at night. Still, this year’s NHL playoffs feel a lot different than last year when 10,000-plus people filled the streets and Bell MTS Place was sold out during home games.

As difficult as COVID-19 has been for businesses, Trevor Buhnai, vice president of marketing at Canad Inns (which operates Tavern United restaurants) said they’re trying to be positive.

“Like every restaurant and food and beverage outlet, we’re getting behind the positives in the community, one of which are the Jets and the playoffs,” he said. “We’ve been doing our best to position ourselves for a safe, fun environment for people to get out and take their mind off the pandemic and enjoy some, even though it’s August, playoff hockey.”

kellen.taniguchi@freepress.mb.ca