Desert heat in Vegas takes toll on ice quality
Puck may bounce in Washington, too, when series shifts to hot and humid D.C.
As chaos prevailed inside T-Mobile Arena early in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final Monday night, Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov was not bothered by the furious pace of the Vegas Golden Knights. The 26-year-old Russian was built for wide-open games, and it was clear from the outset he was determined to counter his opponents’ speed with his own deft skating and puck-handling ability.
Yet there appeared to be something off with Kuznetsov all night in the Golden Knights’ 6-4 thriller of a victory, as he committed a slew of turnovers and struggled to leave an offensive impression in a game suited for all of his best attributes. It raised the question: Was he affected by the quality of the ice, which has become a contentious issue in the desert as the calendar nears June?
“It’s not better and not worse than D.C . ... This is probably the time of the year that it’s pretty hard to keep the ice fresh,” Kuznetsov said. “Both teams have to play on the same ice.”
The quality of the ice inside T-Mobile Arena will almost certainly remain at the forefront of an already-unique finals. Players from both teams confronted the issue after an enthralling Game 1, wondering whether scorching conditions had softened the playing surface and caused pucks to bounce in unpredictable ways. That caused Capitals defenceman Matt Niskanen to question whether the pucks were fully frozen. Centre Jay Beagle simply called the surface “pretty bad.” But by the time Washington returned to the arena for practice Tuesday, the ice was much improved, according to coach Barry Trotz.
“The pucks were bouncing pretty good. Unfortunately, the ice wasn’t great. Usually that first game is on real fresh ice, and the building was warm and all this stuff. The pucks were bouncing a little bit. To me, it was more of that. A lot of chaos because the pucks were bouncing around,” Trotz said. “Today, the ice was so much better. I don’t know if it was the empty building ... I thought it was really good today, so hopefully that will help with games.” Washington players said they encountered a playing surface that was far more treacherous than they might have imagined. “Yeah, it’s worse than I expected. But it’s the same for both teams, so that doesn’t matter,” Capitals centre Nicklas Backstrom said. Washington goaltender Braden Holtby said it’s “one of those things you can’t control. Sometimes you just have to play simpler.” Questionable ice conditions have been a staple of Stanley Cup finals for years. In 1975, humid weather in Buffalo created a thick fog on the ice for Game 3 between the Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers. It became known as the Fog Game. As Holtby pointed out, most teams deal with the challenge of managing high temperatures in their respective arenas this time of year. Ice crews put more emphasis on keeping arena doors closed and curtains drawn.
But players are nonetheless usually forced to acclimate to mushier ice wherever they are, Holtby said. The storyline unravelling with the bone-dry heat in Las Vegas could very well remain when the series shifts to humid Washington for Games 3 and 4.
For Kuznetsov, the kind of player whose skill set these conditions might affect the most, the key is simplifying his approach when he has the puck.
“If the puck doesn’t bounce, you have a little extra time, which is normal. But sometimes ... the puck is going to be bounced,” Kuznetsov said. “You just have to get those bouncing our way.”
At the time, Nick Bogdanovich thought he was giving the Vegas Golden Knights pretty favourable odds. Bogdanovich’s William Hill sportsbook listed the city’s new hockey team as 250-to-1 long shots to win the Stanley Cup in their first year of existence. The true odds before the season, he said, should’ve been closer to 2,500 to 1. “Every expert had them finishing dead last or maybe next to last in the Western Conference,” said Bogdanovich, William Hill’s chief oddsmaker.
William Hill could be three Vegas wins away from losing close to US$2 million. One bettor is in for $1,000 on a 50-1 ticket. Another has $200 at 200-1. And there are many smaller bets that were placed at 250-1.
Casinos all along the Strip are facing similar circumstances, and the total liability in Las Vegas has been estimated at $5 million to $7 million, which would likely mark the city’s biggest loss on futures betting. Oddsmakers around town agree most Golden Knights tickets were purchased as souvenirs, a keepsake for fans to frame and save.
Jay Kornegay, who runs the sportsbook at the Westgate Las Vegas, is also a Golden Knights season ticket-holder. He knows his employer stands to lose money in this series, but he also knows the team has been a great addition to the local community. “Everyone here is on-board and happy to have something like the Golden Knights to root for.”