Canucks fall to Kings in 1st ever game in China
SHANGHAI — A golden dragon was held aloft on poles by skaters. Kobe Bryant appeared on video. NHL mascots gave the crowd a primer on what this odd game is all about.
NHL preseason hockey made its debut in China — a 5-2 victory by the Los Angeles Kings over the Vancouver Canucks — in a step by the league to crack an immense market.
The fans in Shanghai got a fast and physical display Thursday — 17 power plays and 57 shots on goal, all met with loud cheers. Each hard check drew a collective “oooh” or “aaah.”
“Obviously, you wanted to put on a show for the fans here and they got to see some goals, too,” said forward Sven Baertschi, who scored the Canucks’ first goal.
An announcer came onto the ice to explain the finer points of the game as Fin (Vancouver’s killer whale) and Bailey (Los Angeles’ lion) acted out infractions such as charging, cross-checking, tripping and hooking.
With Beijing to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, the NHL is showcasing two pre-season games in a country unfamiliar with hockey.
The Kings and Canucks play their second game in Beijing on Saturday (12:30 a.m. PT).
Even if the rules remain somewhat of a mystery, the crowd appreciated the speed and collisions.
“To be honest, we didn’t know what to expect. We didn’t know the crowd, the noise, the atmosphere,” Los Angeles coach John Stevens said. “I think the whole thing, for me, is we’re here to grow the game. It’s my hope that the more they see it, the more people like it.”
Tanner Pearson scored twice for the Kings and Alec Martinez and Jeff Carter each had a goal and an assist. Jonathan Quick made 31 saves.
Team allegiances were hard to find in the crowd, with the most demonstrative fans being rowdy Canadians waving their country’s flag.
Spectator Inge Zhang was more appropriately attired for an NBA game, wearing a Miami Heat jersey with pink letters.
“I see more foreigners here tonight than Chinese, but I think there are still a lot of hockey fans in China,” Zhang added. “I think the NHL should take this opportunity to grow the sport here.”
That’s the plan now that the NHL has signed a contract to bring two pre-season games to China for six of the next eight years.