Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
A team called the Bakersfield Condors defeated the local minor league hockey team, the Henderson Silver Knights Saturday evening. And perhaps the serious American Hockey League fans in metro Las Vegas were disappointed the Silver Knights lost a division championship, 3-2, to finish the Silver Knights’ maiden AHL season in the Las Vegas market.
But the game’s significance is that 7,420 were counted in attendance at T-Mobile Arena, where fans were able to enjoy an affordable sports night out in Las Vegas at the start of the Memorial Day weekend.
Only 24 hours earlier, the Vegas Golden Knights — the Silver Knights’ parent club — knocked out the Minnesota Wild, 6-2, on the same sheet of ice to advance to the NHL Stanley Cup second round playoffs for a Best-of-7 showdown with the Colorado Avalanche. The Silver Knights sold upper bowl tickets at $7.77 a seat — a slice of the ticket cost to get into the arena to watch Game 7 a day earlier.
But Saturday night was about the American Hockey League prospects from Henderson who hope to be playing with the varsity team in the Stanley Cup playoffs one day — and the locals who enjoy watching pro hockey.
LVSportsBiz photographer J. Tyge O’Donnell was there to capture the images.
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For the record, Bakersfield’s Tyler Benson scored the game-winning third goal 8:51 into the third period to win the Pacific Division title for the Condors, the affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers.
The first period was scoreless.
In the second period, Henderson’s Dylan Sikura, who has seen some game time with the VGK, scored on a backhander to open the scoring at 1-0.
Jakob Stukel responded for Bakersfield and then Philip Kemp gave the Condors a 2-1 lead to finish the second period.
In the third, the Silver Knights’ Lucas Elvenes shot from the point was deflected in by Kaeden Korczak and the score was tied, 2-2.
Benson then scored for Bakersfield and the game ended, 3-2.
The Silver Knights played their games at the Orleans Arena this first season.
But for 2022-23 campaign, the AHL team will play in the $84 million, 6,000-seat Dollar Loan Center arena being built at the site of the old Henderson Pavilion. The Silver Knights practice at the new Lifeguard Arena ice center on Water Street in downtown Henderson.
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