'Long time coming': Health-care workers grateful for chance to watch the Winnipeg Jets in person

Isabella Ng recently finished two of the worst shifts she's ever had as an intensive care unit nurse at St. Boniface Hospital — but being in Bell MTS Place to watch the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday "was a huge highlight" and made her feel appreciated.

Five hundred health-care workers who have had both of their shots won a socially distanced seat to watch the Jets take on the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday night. Names were chosen lottery-style out of more than 6,000 applicants across the province.

"I did have a few second thoughts about [going], but in the end this is almost like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Ng, adding that she decided to treat herself after a rough week at work.

"Even just to be in that atmosphere, that felt almost normal."

The Jets fell behind by two goals early in the first period and ended up dropping Game 1 to the Habs 5-3. But the fans inside the building were just happy to be there.

"Just to be there again with a crowd and a live audience, it was amazing to be in-person and feel like you have a life again," said Richard Pound, a unit manager at St. Boniface Hospital.

The Jets swept the Edmonton Oilers in the first round and are coming off eight days of rest. Pound realizes the team may have needed Game 1 to get back in gear, so he expects the Jets to take off again in Game 2, which is Friday night.

Angela Harrysingh, a social worker at Misericordia Health Centre, was "pretty bummed out" by the Game 1 loss, but she has faith.

"We still have more games to come. We can still pull out and win," she said.

The workers only needed to bring ID cards and proof of vaccination to get into the arena, which hadn't hosted fans for more than a year. They lined up at the Donald and Graham street entrance, wearing face masks and Jets jerseys.

"I'm proud and excited … and fortunate to be here," said Ron Geronimo, a COVID-19 relief nurse at Simkin Centre in Winnipeg, adding it was the first time he was seeing a Jets game live.

"I'm hoping one day soon we'll be out of this … everyone can come watch the Jets and cheer them on."

Richard Mathurin, a housekeeper at Concordia Hospital, said he wished the circumstances allowed for the stands to be full.

"I'm a huge Jets fan. I was just so lucky to be one of the chosen ones but … there's so many more deserving people. It's too bad … all 15,000 can't be here," he said.

Once inside the arena, fans were seated apart from each other throughout the stands, masks were mandatory and cleaning protocols were kicked into high gear.

Teresa Jensen, a nurse with the Manitoba First Nations COVID-19 Pandemic Response Co-ordination team, said she appreciated being able to attend the game with everyone involved in the pandemic fight.

"There's been so much work done by all these people here and I'm grateful and I'm hoping that one day soon we're going to be out of this and most of Winnipeg can have a chance to come watch the Jets and come cheer them on in the near future," she said. 

Jensen's team goes into Manitoba First Nations to help with the pandemic response, which she said has had its ups and downs this past year.

"Tonight it's about just a little bit of self care," she said.

Provincial public health orders forbid social gatherings of any kind. However, the order was revised Wednesday to allow 500 fully vaccinated health-care workers and immediate family members of Winnipeg Jets players, coaches, managers and administration officials to attend a home playoff game.

"Just any fans is awesome," Jets centre Mark Scheifele said before the game. "To get some health-care workers is awesome."

University of Manitoba marketing professor Fang Wan said the move provided a much-needed lift and allowed the Jets to cast themselves as good corporate citizens by offering an incentive to get vaccinated.

"Very creative, very uplifting, and I think very much needed," she said.

"It is a form of giving back. And I think that's really nice."

Terry Grawberger, a dietary support service worker at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Gimli, said she had no concerns about safety given that she's fully vaccinated.

"It's nice. It's been a long time. Long time coming, so that's good," she said.

A few health-care workers CBC News spoke to after the game said being allowed in to watch the game was a boost for morale and felt like a win.

They also encouraged Manitobans to get vaccinated for COVID-19, saying it will allow, among other things, Bell MTS Place to be packed again.