League has found its ‘drop the mic’ outdoor venue
Lake Tahoe rink is site of two games this weekend
STATELINE, Nev. — Some players snapped pictures of Lake Tahoe and the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains as they came out for their first look at the picturesque outdoor rink that will host a pair of NHL games this weekend.
Others just soaked in the environment before taking the ice for a practice that took them back to their childhood, when many got started playing hockey on frozen ponds and lakes.
It’s fair to say none of those makeshift rinks was quite like the one that will be used for the games this weekend between Vegas and Colorado and Philadelphia and Boston in one of the most scenic settings imaginable.
“Anywhere where they can build outdoor rinks, there’s always a competition on the street whose dad can build a better rink,” Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said Friday after his team practiced in preparation for Saturday’s game against the Avalanche.
“Every year you come back and someone adds lights or a scoreboard. This is a drop the mic type outdoor rink. It’s the nicest I’ve ever seen. The guys really, really enjoyed it today. It’s awe-inspiring when you walk out there and see the mountains and the lake in the background. The only thing we’re missing is fans.”
With the COVID-19 pandemic limiting attendance at games, the NHL took the opportunity to hold a pair of outdoor games at a unique setting unlike the 30 previous outdoor games at stadiums.
They built a rink on the 18th fairway of the golf course of the Edgewood Tahoe Resort, which is located on the shores of Lake Tahoe and surrounded by trees with the snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountain range towering in the background.
“It’s a really cool feeling,” Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said. “The surroundings speak for themselves. You can see that in pictures. But it still doesn’t really do it justice. It’s probably the purest form of hockey, being outdoors and obviously the elements and the wind and the sun comes into play. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The Golden Knights practiced first, with DeBoer holding a traditional session before giving his players some 3-on-3 time to mimic what it was like playing outdoors as kids with their friends.
The players spent the practice day getting used to the elements. The ice was in good shape for an outdoor rink but is “stickier” and will play slower than a traditional indoor setting, especially if the sun is shining like it was Friday.
Friday games
PANTHERS 7, RED WINGS 2: In Detroit, Patric Hornqvist scored in the first and third periods to help Florida start and finish strong in a victory over Detroit.
Juho Lammikko and MacKenzie Weegar had goals on consecutive shots in the opening period, and Hornqvist made it 3-0 in a four-shot stretch that doomed a Detroit team averaging an NHL-low 1.9 goals a game.
HURRICANES 5, BLACKHAWKS 3: In Raleigh, N.C., Nino Niederreiter had two goals and an assist as Carolina cooled off Chicago.
Niederreiter capped his big night by scoring on the power play 15:04 into the third period.
OILERS 2, FLAMES 1: In Calgary, Alberta, Jesse Puljujarvi and Gaetan Haas scored, Mike Smith made 20 saves and Edmonton beat Calgary to open a home-and-home series.
JETS 2, CANUCKS 0: In Vancouver, British Columbia, Laurent Brossoit made 29 saves for his second career shutout and Mark Scheifele scored on a first-period breakaway as Winnipeg beat Vancouver.