By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com — Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell of LVSportsBiz.com
A worldwide virus kept Vegas Golden Knights fans away from their home-away-from-home for 363 days, enough time for couples to birth offspring and endure a novel coronavirus that robbed the lives of 500,000 Americans and 2.5 million across the planet.
But on a Monday night at an arena just off the Las Vegas Strip, 2,605 hockey fans were treated to a wild 5-4 overtime comeback win by the Vegas Golden Knights over the Minnesota Wild as fans attended a VGK home game for the first time this season.
VGK forward Alex Tuch notched the equalizer with only 41 seconds left in regulation play before Mark “Mr. Assist” Stone fed Max Pacioretty for the game-winner in OT as fans in the Big Ice House cheered the crazy victory. Stone assisted on all five goals. And each assist was the primary assist. VGK improved to 13-4-1 for 27 points, good for first in the western division.
For Golden Knights rooters, it felt good to be home as they sat in groups of two, four and six with lots of space and distance between fans with only 15 percent of the 17,367-seat venue deployed for fans.
Golden Knights and Wild players heard real fans scream, “Go, Knights, Go,” and live human beings yell, “Knight,” during the national anthem performed by Carnell “Golden Pipes” Johnson.
The Knights’ attendance came in at 2,605, which is the 15 percent capacity allowed by the Clark County Health Department. VGK owner Bill Foley wanted 20 percent capacity, the limit set by Gov. Steve Sisolak in his recent COVID-19 directive.
LVSportsBiz.com spoke with fans to get their thoughts on returning to T-Mobile Arena.
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The first fans strolled to their seats about an hour before puck drop.
“What’s up Fortress, we’re back,” arena host Katie Marie Jones declared off the PA system.
Her emcee partner, Mark Shunock piped in, “Feels real good to see faces.”
Jones then told Shunock, “I heard screams.”
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It didn’t matter that everyone wore masks and were told to listen to the COVID-19 protocols like following specific exit instructions via pods and sections.
“I’ll take if it we get to talk to human beings in the buildings,” Shunock explained.
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The Golden Knights jumped out to a 1-0 lead in period two on a power play goal by Cody Glass, off a gorgeous pass from Mark Stone.
But Minnesota answered with two quick goals within 66 seconds to take a 2-1 lead. Both goals were scored from close in on VGK netminder Marc-Andre Fleury.
The Knights returned to the power play and executed some crisp passing to set up Max Pacioretty, who fired in the tying goal.
The Wild responded with two goals to end the period and Minnesota headed into the second intermission with a 4-2 lead.
Nic Hague blasted in an even-strength goal in the third period to cut the Wild lead to 4-3.
Then, with Fleury pulled from the ice for a sixth skater, Tuch re-directed a terrific pass from Stone to lock the game at four apiece with less than a minute to go.
And then in overtime, it was Stone again, working his passing magic by feeding Pacioretty for the winning goal.
It triggered something we haven’t heard all season long here in Las Vegas.
Cheers in the hockey arena.
The same two teams play Wednesday and LVSportsBiz.com will be here.
PSA