Golden Knights and Oct. 1 in Las Vegas Will Always Be Connected
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By Cassandra Cousineau, LVSportsBiz.com Staff Writer
It was an exhibition game scrimmage. True, Vegas Golden Knights top six forwards Mark Stone and Reilly Smith were skating.
But new VGK coach Bruce Cassidy is still in evaluating mode, so don’t read too much into the Golden Knights’ 7-3 loss to division rival San Jose Sharks.
After all, the Las Vegas Raiders were undefeated at 4-0 in their preseason and look at Mark Davis’ team now — the NFL’s sole winless team at 0-3.
There were some “Go Knights, Go!” chants and a pleasant recognition of local teachers in the second period. The Drumbots were drumming away and there were plenty of gold, sparkling jackets in the crowd of 17,446.
But Friday’s game at T-Mobile Arena had a deeper emotional meaning just below the surface of the game. It was the eve of the five-year anniversary of the deadliest mass shooting in our nation’s history and it happened a mile away on the Las Vegas Strip.
At 10:05 PM, the Route 91 Harvest Festival country music concert was going on when a lone gunman perched himself on the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay and opened fire.
He killed 58 people, injuring more than 850 more.
That horrific shooting occurred about an hour after the Golden Knights played San Jose in a preseason game in Year 1 when Gerard Gallant was coaching the original Misfits.
The deadly event remains inextricably tied to the history of the Golden Knights, which played their first regular home game on Oct, 10, 2017 — nine days after the gun violence in Las Vegas.
Every year, the VGK set out to pay respects to those who were killed, their families, and to the Las Vegas community.
On Friday at the game, there was no mention of the somber anniversary. But the NHL team did issue a press release with a schedule of events for Saturday.
There will be a ceremony at the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden at 1015 S. Casino Center Blvd. at 10:05PM, the approximate time the shooting began.
According to the press release, that ceremony will include the reading of the names of the 58 victims. Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman and city of Las Vegas Communications Director David Riggleman will read the names. A bell will toll and a candle will be lit in remembrance for each person we lost as a result of the attack at the outdoor country music concert at the former MGM Resorts International festival grounds.
Golden Knights season ticker holder Andy Weil and his wife, Jeanette, had just moved to Las Vegas at the time. “We had just moved here a few months before Oct. 1 It was a little overwhelming not knowing how to help.”
As for VGK players; involvement in the community, “Their presence at things like the blood drive made a big difference. Lifted the community’s spirits,” Weil added.
This year, the Golden Knights Foundation is partnering with Vitalant, the largest blood provider in Nevada, to host another blood drive outside of City National Arena.
Former Golden Knights player Deryk Engelland, who gave the memorable team speech of coming together for that Oct. 10, 2017 home game, will be there along with team mascot Chance, and VGK game entertainment members. Blood donors must make appointments in advance at donors.vitalant.org and enter sponsor code: VGK.
Also, to honor Las Vegas area first responders, there will be an unveiling of a VGK-themed Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) cruiser, a blood drive at City National Arena, and player and staff visits with police and fire personnel. The Golden Knights will also unveil the LVMPD’s “Vegas Born” wrapped vehicle at City National Arena at 7:50 AM.
