Thousands of miles doesn't stop the diehard fans from supporting their beloved hockey squads during the pinnacle of the sport.
Aside from locals swarming to arenas in Pittsburgh and San Jose to catch the action of the Stanley Cup Final, folks from around the world are embarking on their own pilgrimages to witness history.
Ryan and Joe trekked nearly 18,500 miles from Australia and New Zealand, respectively. An opportunity to catch a sight of their Penguins on the ice was absolutely worth it. It also helped that Ryan's wife applauded the adventure.
"Obviously a big fan," he said. "In the end, she almost insisted that I come."
Ryan will head west after Game 2 and do his best to find a seat at SAP Center.
"It's not a short trip as we've discussed so if you're going to come out here, you might as well see if you can get to the lot," he said.
Joe, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, actually has family in Los Altos, but black and gold are his colors of choice.
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"There are some things that run deeper than blood," he said.
Keeping it in the states, the father-son tandem of Andy and Daniel jumped at the chance to make a beeline for Pittsburgh.
"Text (my dad) on Thursday night after the Penguins won and said, 'Want to go to Pittsburgh?'" Daniel said. "I got a phone call the next morning saying book your flights."
Daniel hopped on a plane from California and Andy boarded a plane in North Carolina just in time to enjoy the moment of Game 1 together.
"This is one of those experiences where you get to share with your son," Andy said. "It's wonderful."
After all, some folks will do just about anything to cheer on the teams they adore.
