By Alan Snel
LVSportsBiz.com
San Jose, Calif. — They lowered the giant, red-glowing team symbol from the rafters and the hockey players raced through it before the game’s face-off. They played music from Lil John and The Killers. And their team defense stifled the opponent and won, 5-2.
No, not the Vegas Golden Knights.
It was the San Jose Sharks, a team that flipped the script on the Golden Knights Wednesday night and cruised to the win in Game 1 of the Best-of-7 first round series of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Forward Mark Stone scored the VGK’s two goals at the SAP Center in downtown San Jose.
Game 2 is at the SAP Center Friday evening.
More than 17,000 fans packed the venue, the third oldest arena in the NHL. The fans included this screamer of a Sharks fan. For the record, attendance was announced at 17,562 and it was a sellout.
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The SAP Center does not have all the bells and whistles of T-Mobile Arena, the VGK’s home ice, but it does provide a closed-in, close-to-the-action feel and sight lines from both the lower and upper bowls.
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MGM Resorts International’s commercial reach is extensive and the sports venues Las Vegas’ biggest employer use to advertise its brand sometimes can have an interesting twist.
Like the arena of the San Jose Sharks, the Vegas Golden Knights’ rival and first round playoff opponent. Game 1 starts at 7:30 pm in San Jose.
MGM Resorts has an ad on the ice at the SAP Center, the Sharks’ home arena in downtown San Jose.
The “MGM Resorts” signage is near one of the goal lines in the arena, which is decked out in rally towels like most NHL playoff arenas are these days.
MGM Resorts International’s interest in sports is hardly major news.
MGM Resorts advertises its brand in many sports venues and has marketing partnerships with the NBA, NHL and MLB.
MGM Resorts also partnered with Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), the owner of the Los Angeles Kings and downtown Staples Center, to build T-Mobile Arena, the VGK’s home ice.
Here’s another MGM Resorts International-AEG connection with a development twist in Nashville — home of the NHL Predators: MGM Resorts is looking to build a 21-story hotel in Nashville Yards. And Kings owner AEG is joining MGM in the development.
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Please return to this story for Golden Knights-Sharks updates through the night.