Winnipeg Jets Fan Marooned In Las Vegas Makes Best Of Situation

By ALAN SNEL
LVSportsBiz.com

Last year in November when nobody could forecast the Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights playing for a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals, a 26-year-old plumber from Winnipeg by the name of Julian Radocaj made plans with 13 friends for a bachelor party in Las Vegas in mid-May.

The 14 dudes had a great time in Las Vegas this past weekend — and were in the unique position of being in Sin City while their hometown Winnipeg Jets were playing in the conference finals back in Manitoba.

“It was a lot of fun. We obviously got heckled,” Radocaj said after the party of 14 watched Jets-Golden Knights at the Legasse’s Stadium sports bar at the Palazzo.

But the other 13 guys left to return home to Las Vegas, leaving Radocaj all by himself in Las Vegas for Game 3 at T-Mobile Arena Wednesday.

So remarkably, Radocaj walked up to the T-Mobile Arena box office around 1:30 p.m. or so and bought a standing room only ticket for $250 to watch the 6 p.m. game Wednesday.

There were more Jets fans in the ice house for Round 3 than there were Los Angeles Kings fans at T-Mobile Arena games during Round 1 and San Jose Sharks fans at The T during Round 2.

So, Radocaj could bond with some of his Jets pals.

So, being marooned as a Jets fan in Las Vegas didn’t turn out too bad after all.

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Nicholas Griffiths lives in Tampa, but he learned his hockey in Winnipeg. LVSportsBiz.com caught up with Griffiths to explain to Las Vegas fans why Winnipeg embraces hockey like few other places in Canada. Here is his story:

When Winnipeg of the WHL signed Bobby Hull to a $1 million dollar contract in 1972, our school let us out at 2 p.m. so we could go to the signing at Portage and Main.

Where else do you get out of school for a hockey day?

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Rick Williams, owner of that Golden Knights internet sensation and unofficial mascot, Bark-Andre Furry, said hockey equipment brand CCM is making a special mini-goalie leg pad to fit the 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier.

Williams, a Summerlin resident, said Bark-Andre Furry is receiving all types of goodies. A new mini-sweatshirt arrived in the mail recently.