By Alan Snel
LVSportsBiz.com
LVSportsBiz.com photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
Marc-Andre Fleury sat in front of his locker, the goaltender wearing a Golden Knights ball cap and that sly smile of his after he and the VGK racked up another win at T-Mobile Arena Tuesday night. This time, it was a 4-2 victory over the visiting New York Rangers.
Leading the NHL in wins and minutes played, Fleury was at his jovial best, answering sports reporters’ questions with a quip or a joke. He mused that he was disappointed in losing the shutout and the dozen free Krispy Kreme doughnuts that go with every Golden Knights whitewash. You can hear Fleury’s aw-shucks, funny style here.
Fleury’s shutouts this year have meant Krispy Kreme cranking out about $40,000 worth of free doughnuts per shutout, but the free publicity is sweet.
In defeating the Rangers, the Golden Knights secured their seventh consecutive win, with VGK two-way centerman Cody Eakin scoring the first goal. The Knights would not trail in the game, which drew 18,249 to the friendly confines of the Big Ice House on the Strip.
The Golden Knights, after 20 home dates, were averaging 18,284 attendance per home game and more than 105 percent of capacity of the arena that officially sits 17,367 for VGK home games. The arena’s fan atmosphere — and loud noise — is credited with giving the Golden Knights a home ice advantage. After Tuesday’s game, the average attendance dropped by two to 18,282 after 21 home games.
The march of the Golden Knights mascots, Vegas girls and VGk cheerleaders is a crowd-pleaser.
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Popular fan favorite, the crowd igniter/dancer Cameron Hughes, celebrated his 25 years of stoking NHL and NBA crowds into a frenzy with his over-the-top enthusiastic dance routines.
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