T-Mobile Arena has started laying the first ice for Las Vegas Hockey in its arena, as reported by both the NHL franchise and the sports arena, including on twitter at pic.twitter.com/bwrZHHGx97. Yes! The sweet chill of ice is in the air!
There is something different in the chill of a frozen pond, red lines and blue lines and hockey nets to bring a physical side to the growing realization that pro hockey has found a permanent home in Las Vegas.
There have been news conferences and press releases celebrating the recent awarding of an NHL franchise to Bill Foley’s investment group. There has been more excitement with the hiring of George McPhee as the team’s General Manager. Yet all of these things have been academic in their own way. There is something different in the chill of a frozen pond, red lines and blue lines and hockey nets to bring a physical side to the growing realization that pro hockey has found a permanent home in Las Vegas.
No matter that outside it is 102°, and haze from California wildfires are making everything look like a bad Los Angeles smogged-in day, inside T-Mobile Arena the hockey rink is out and ice is firming up. It is the first cycle for the arena crews as they prepare for the Las Vegas Hockey Open House Next Week. Time to start moving in.
Not to mention the first real hockey game will be played at the rink in the LA Kings annual Frozen Fury XVIII pre-season games. In the past these games have been hosted at the MGM Garden Arena. This October, though, the LA Kings will be playing two pre-season games versus the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche on October 7-8.