In January, a couple from Montreal, Mathieu and Sandra, traveled to Cranberry to watch the Penguins practice at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Little did Sandra know that she would get the surprise of her life as they were waiting for the players to exit.
“I knew that her favorite player was Sidney Crosby, and she didn’t know that I was going to propose,” Mathieu said. “Then, Sidney Crosby passed by, and she wanted to take a picture with him while I was getting ready. She didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew that it was happening right now.”
While Sandra’s son Shayan had been hoping that Crosby would sign his jersey, he also knew that Mathieu wanted to propose. So, Shayan was able to record the entire proposal, with Crosby seeing it all happen from his car and giving a thumbs-up.
Mathieu and Sandra have talked about getting engaged for a while, and she only wanted two ways for it to happen.
“The first one is in front of my family when I do not know, and the second one is having what I love most at heart, hockey, being part of it,” Sandra said. “I never asked for it to be in front of Crosby; that’s why it is bigger than I ever imagined.”
The connection to Crosby goes back years. After she moved from France to Montreal, Sandra started watching hockey when she saw Crosby play at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
“I watched Team Canada play, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, there is a very good player on the ice, and he looks really good.’ It was Sidney Crosby, but I knew nothing,” Sandra said. “When my son was 7 years old, I told him to pick a team that we would follow, and he chose the Penguins.”
As Shayan grew up and watched the team, he followed Crosby’s example in multiple ways. Now, at 18 years old, it is even more evident.
“He acts like him. He does everything,” Sandra said. “He’s superstitious like him, and he’s kind to other people. It’s a big thing for my family, and it’s a big thing for me, too. It’s great to see that my son has a role model like Sidney Crosby.”
That is why her engagement proposal was way better than she could’ve expected, a full-circle moment for the relationship she has with Shayan.
“The Penguins play a big chunk of my life with my son,” Sandra said. “Hockey glued us together, and that’s how we spend a lot of quality and exciting time when we watch the Penguins play. Mathieu being a part of it brings a lot of fulfillment in our lives.”
When they first started following the team, Sandra and Shayan watched every single Penguins game on TV and went to see them play when they faced Montreal. They made their first trip to Pittsburgh in 2015 and followed them on the road.
“We went to Pittsburgh, we then went to Los Angeles and Anaheim, and they won all three of them,” Sandra said. “I remember when we went to Los Angeles, Patric Hornqvist scored in overtime. It was 1-0, and the Penguins won that game. It was our first games ever.”
From then on, Sandra and Shayans make yearly trips back to Pittsburgh to support their team. While Mathieu initially intended to propose at PPG Paints Arena, the moment was too good to pass up in Cranberry.
Afterwards, Mathieu posted the video on his social media, where he saw the reception from thousands of viewers filled with so much positivity.
“So many people reacted in a good way,” Sandra said. “There is such a great community in hockey. Not only that, but people know what is good in life. It’s very heartwarming.”
The video also sparked the attention of Cranberry Township, who wanted to share this moment even further when they launched a new campaign called Love is in the Air.
“It gave us the opportunity to celebrate not just one couple, but the spirit of connection and happiness that defines Cranberry Township,” said Tina Fedko, Director of Communications for Cranberry Township. “Seeing how people responded, engaged, and shared in that joy made it even more meaningful for the Township.”
Tina, who has been with Cranberry Township for over ten years, has witnessed firsthand the community impact of the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex since it opened in 2015.
“The facility has become a cornerstone of our community, while supporting local economic growth and enhancing the quality of life for our residents,” Fedko said. “Together, we’ve built a relationship that reflects our shared commitment to excellence, community engagement, and regional impact.”
Although Mathieu, Sandra, and Shayan live in Montreal, it is safe to say that Pittsburgh has become like a second home, with how much the Penguins and the community have impacted their lives.
Whether it was Shayan being excited to get his jersey signed by his role model, or Mathieu and Sandra sharing a once-in-a-lifetime moment, it shows how hockey can be more than just a sport.
“Moments like these – especially with Sidney Crosby there to witness – truly capture the spirit of our community,” Fedko said. “It was an unforgettable scene that brought excitement and a sense of shared joy across Cranberry Township and beyond.”