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The NHL All-Star weekend in Toronto underscored the hurdles faced by fans with disabilities, as noted by Frank Seravalli, an NHL insider.
Seravalli's revelation came in response to a poignant post by Andrew Nielsen, a writer who shared his disappointment with Ticketmaster Canada. Nielsen uses a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy. He recounted his frustrating experience purchasing wheelchair-accessible seats.
Nielsen posted a tweet with a snap of himself in a wheelchair, sharing his frustration about the situation:
"Very disappointed @TicketmasterCA @Ticketmaster. Bought field level wheelchair accessible seats only to be asked to leave because you labelled them incorrectly on your website. Told my seats at the top. Nice to see so many people using mobility devices enjoying these seats."
Seravalli shared Nielsen's experience on Twitter/X:
"Not directly hockey, but I spent time w/ @AndrewONielsen during #NHLAllStar in Toronto and learned about the challenges people with disabilities have in accessing tickets and space to see their teams. His thread is crushing. Posting for visibility. Hope NHL teams are listening."
Red Wings triumph in overtime thriller against Toronto Maple Leafs
In a thrilling match between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Dylan Larkin's power-play goal in overtime sealed a 5-4 victory for Detroit.
Larkin expressed the significance of the moment:
"one of the biggest of my career."
James Reimer, who made 32 saves in his 500th NHL game, said:
"It's special ... Proud of the guys."
The win kept Detroit in contention for a playoff spot, tied with Washington and Philadelphia for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Auston Matthews' 69th goal of the season brought excitement to the crowd.
Despite Toronto erasing a three-goal deficit, Detroit's early lead proved crucial. Alex DeBrincat's two goals and David Perron's contribution led the Red Wings' charge. Perron reflected on his goal:
"You can't feel any better."
Matthews, on his remarkable season, maintained his focused approach:
"My approach every game, every night is the same."
Toronto's loss secured their position as the third seed in the Atlantic Division.
