Jets — and Their Fans — Arrive In Vegas, But Golden Knights Win Game 3 Behind Fleury’s Spectacular Saves

BY ALAN SNEL

LVSportsBiz.com

 

The Jets have arrived in Las Vegas.

 

Winnipeg Jets fans came early to T-Mobile Arena for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals Wednesday, and one Jets fan walked up to a box office window and spent $250 for a standing room only ticket.

 

But they also walked out disappointed as the Golden Knights defeated the Jets, 4-2, before 18,477 fans at T-Mobile Arena to grab a 2-1 lead in games in the Best-of-7 conference finals.

 

The Vegas Golden Knights enjoyed giant partisan crowds in round 1 and 2, with only a handful of Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks fans buying tickets to watch their teams in T-Mobile Arena.

 

But Jets fans came ready to spend money on tickets that ranged in the price from the $200 range to the $700 range.

 

Jets fans Brandon Chubaty, 26, and Ronnie Chubaty, 37, who are brothers who traveled to Las Vegas. Ronnie Chubaty said he sold his two tickets for Game 2 in Winnipeg to finance his trip to Las Vegas and pay for his ticket in T-Mobile Arena.

 

“We’re bringing white-out conditions,” chimed in fellow Jets fan Marc Connelly, 36, a government worker. Connelly opened his wallet big-time to the tune of $2,000 round trip for air fare and he bought a $750 loge seat for Wednesday and a $350 upper bowl seat for Friday.

 

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Marc-Andre Fleury stonewalled a powerful Winnipeg team after the Jets pulled with 3-2 early in the final period. LVSportsBiz.com asked Golden Knights defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb about their thoughts on The Flower’s performance Wednesday night.

 

First, Theodore:

And, here’s McNabb:

Fleury stood on his head — as the cliche goes — but he actually dove to his left to rob a goal and his third period presence paved the way for the 4-2 win. James Neal, who received a nasty elbow, also had a huge game by slamming home the team’s second goal and setting up the VGK’s third goal.

 

After the game, the veteran duo fielded questions from the media.

 

And Fleury even hung around to answer a few questions in French.

 

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LVSportsBiz.com has been flourishing this past year because of superb photography. Daniel Clark joined me Wednesday and we caught up with some well-known Golden Knights fans and Dan took some terrific photos that we are showcasing here.

 

About an hour before the game, LVSportsBiz.com bumped into Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, who was delivered by a snazzy bus in the back of the arena. Dan got a great photo of Hsieh.

One of the great features of a Golden Knights games is the arena’s PA announcer Bruce Cusick. He’s a talent and a great hire by the VGK for its in-game entertainment performances.

One of Dan’s great strengths is capturing the overhead image and the context photo. Consider these from tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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