For the second time in the span of weeks, the NHL is in the headlines for all the wrong reasons after a contentious Pride Night.
The Rangers promised fans they would wear Pride-centric jerseys and tape while warming up for their game against the Golden Knights Friday evening, but went back on that promise and wore their usual uniforms.
Saturday afternoon, New York released a statement on Friday’s events, according to a report from USA Today‘s Vince Z. Mercogliano.
“Our organization respects the LGBTQ+ community and we are proud to bring attention to important local community organizations as part of another great Pride Night,” the statement read. “In keeping with our organization’s core values, we support everyone’s individual right to respectfully express their beliefs.”
The Rangers’ backtrack comes after a similar incident on Jan. 17 in Philadelphia, when Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov—citing his Russian Orthodox religious beliefs—declined to warm up in a Pride jersey before a game against the Ducks.
