Reaves delivers for O'Ree
O'Ree became the first black person to skate in the National Hockey League, something he didn't realize until he opened up the newspaper the next morning.
"I didn't realize that I had broken down barriers and opened doors for not only black players, but players of color," O'Ree said. "I found out the next day when I read it in the paper that I was the first black player to play in the NHL. It was thrilling and it was quite an evening. It was one that I'll always remember."
One of those players he helped pave the way for is Penguins winger Ryan Reaves, who couldn't have been more honored to meet O'Ree after Thursday's morning skate and present him with a jersey.
"Hopefully I can put on a show for him," Reaves said of O'Ree, who was in town as part of the NHL's Hockey Is For Everyone Month.
He certainly did.
Reaves opened the scoring 6:06 into the second period of the Penguins' 3-1 win over Los Angeles at PPG Paints Arena with a beautiful goal through a screen that beat Kings goalie Jonathan Quick far side.
A few minutes after the tally, PensTV host Celina Pompeani interviewed O'Ree on the videoboard during a TV timeout, and he revealed a promise that Reaves had made to him earlier that day.
"He told me he was going to get a goal for me, and he got a goal for me," O'Ree said with a smile.
As the crowd cheered in response, Reaves stood on the bench and banged his stick on the boards in recognition of the man who helped pave the way for him to be here.
"It was nice," Reaves said of the moment. "Coming off of last game, I was absolutely horrendous and needed to bounce back. With Willie O'Ree in the house, it was pretty special. He's a pioneer for players like me and it was nice getting him one."
Though Reaves clarified that he hadn't quite made a guarantee that he would score.
"I cannot promise goals. I don't know if you've seen my scoring touch," Reaves joked. "But I said I was going to have a good game for him, hopefully get him one, and I did."
"I know he had a conversation with Willie this morning," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "He may have mentioned he was going to try to score a goal for him. The fact that he goes out there and scores the way he does I'm sure was a proud moment for both of them. Both of those guys are such great people. They represent our game so well. We're thrilled for them. After that conversation that Ryan had with him this morning I'm sure that was a proud moment for both of those guys."
That meeting was the first time the two men met, with it being a special interaction for both of them. It was an opportunity for Reaves to say thank you, and a chance for O'Ree to see just how much of an impact he's had on the league in the 60 years since he first entered it.
"I meet a lot of not only the black players, but the players of color that are in the league," O'Ree said. "The first thing they say is 'Mr. O'Ree, I can't imagine what you had to go through to make it possible for a player like myself to play in the league,' and that means a lot. It's very sincere, and it just gives me a good feeling that I played a part in them coming into the National Hockey League."
