VIDEO – 5-Year-Old Junior Starter for Pittsburgh Penguins Steals Spotlight Before Game, Wins Hearts and Gets Sidney Crosby’s Thumbs Up

Published 01/09/2024, 11:04 AM EST

Follow Us

We all dream of donning the jersey of our favorite team and brushing shoulders with them. While for most it remains a distant dream, few are lucky enough to actually live the dream just like the 5-year-old in today’s video. Samantha Britt is a die-hard fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins. So when she got a chance to feature as their Junior Starter on Saturday’s game, her joy knew no bounds. 

As it is evident from her reaction in the video, the little girl was star-struck and was a little embarrassed too, being in the midst of all the attention. However, once she stepped on the field, things changed drastically and little Samantha had one of the best experiences of her life. 

Little Miss Samantha lights up ice hockey field 

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The video was uploaded by the official account of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Twitter, which was recently rebranded as X. In the two-minute twenty-nine-second video, we can see the five-year-old all dressed up in the Penguins’ attire with a cute pink helmet. Samantha is a part of Sidney Crosby’s Little Penguins, which is a youth program that focuses on encouraging kids between the ages of 5 to 9 years to pursue the sport. 

Quite expectedly, the little girl conveyed to his dad that she was eager to stand beside Sidney Crosby. Unfortunately, she forgot his jersey number when her dad reminded her that it was 87.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

In the opening moments of the clip, her father asked her whether she wanted to put on the helmet or wait a bit longer. Samantha, oozing confidence, asked her father to put the helmet on for her. She said, “I don’t rather be late, I’d rather be on time.” Once the time came for her to step onto the ice, Samantha looked as confident as ever. In fact, she also asked her father not to worry. The little one stated, “Don’t worry… I should know because the Penguins will be right there. Don’t you worry about it, dude!”

Sure enough, the little one glided through the snow amidst the flashlights and stood beside her hero, Crosby. After the national anthem was over, the little one made her way back to the dugout, but not before earning a thumbs-up from Sidney Crosby. Such a video was bound to garner the attention of the masses, and surely it did. 

Fans react to the heartwarming video

The video captioned, “Lining up as the @DICKS Junior Starter is VERY important business”, received love from fans. It gained more than 526k views and 3k likes at the time of reporting this heartwarming incident.

WATCH: Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby Fights Blue Jackets’ Pierre-Luc Dubois

One of the fans commented that he was feeling extremely jealous of little Samantha as she got the opportunity to be beside Crosby on the rink.

The video was indeed full of energy, enthusiasm, and emotions. Another fan wrote how the video made her tear up and smile.

One of the users who witnessed the game live shared her experience in the comment section.

“This is fantastic! Way to go Samantha! And well done Pens❤️❤️❤️☺️☺️☺️”, wrote another Twitter user.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

While another user mentioned that the video was so heart-touching that it made her cry.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Do you think Samantha Britt will grow up to be an ice hockey athlete? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. 

Watch This Story: Heres A Quick Look At Top Homes Owned By NHL Players

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Disita Sikdar

740Articles

One take at a time

Words have the power to inspire and unite, and I am dedicated to making that happen! As a passionate Viral Sports writer at EssentiallySports, my past experiences as a content creator and social media manager have only fueled my drive to bring the world of sports to life. My love affair with American sports finds its epicenter in WWE. Since childhood, I have been enthralled by the dazzling world of WWE, captivated by its awe-inspiring storylines that blur the lines between sports and theatre! My coverage brings out the electrifying excitement of WWE, the poetic beauty of Soccer, and the fierce battles on the Tennis court.
Show More>

Edited by:

Saumya Khanduja