1991 outdoor NHL game in Las Vegas

Last updated

1991 outdoor NHL game in Las Vegas
123Total
New York Rangers 2002
Los Angeles Kings 0325
DateSeptember 27, 1991
Venue Caesars Palace parking lot
City Paradise, Nevada
Attendance13,007
←  1956

The 1991 outdoor National Hockey League (NHL) game in Las Vegas was an exhibition pre-season game between the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings that took place on September 27, 1991, on an outside rink built over the parking lot of the Caesars Palace hotel and casino. This was the first official outdoor NHL game, and was part of the pre-season schedule for the 1991–92 NHL season for both teams. [1] [2]

Contents

Background

Rich Rose, president of Caesars World Sports and a Rangers fan, first proposed having an exhibition ice hockey game outdoors in Las Vegas in 1988. His idea was met with criticism and incredulity, but Steve Flatow, the NHL's marketing director in 1991, thought it was an intriguing idea. Flatow suggested approaching the Los Angeles Kings, whose roster included Wayne Gretzky. With the Kings' interest, Flatow believed the Rangers would also be interested, and the game could therefore showcase high-profile teams from the two largest markets. Rose was able to convince the Kings' executive vice-president, Roy Mlakar, and the team's owner Bruce McNall. After that, Flatow helped Rose contact the Rangers, who agreed to play, and the event was scheduled for September 27, 1991.

The temporary seats and rink cost $135,000 to erect, and were ready two days prior to the event. [3] The ice was laid down by Bob May of Ice Systems of America, under the directions of Michael Rzechula and Robert Krolak from ITI (now Ice Rink Supply). According to May, the outside ice rink in Las Vegas was "a big challenge", using three times the refrigeration equipment as one would for a regular rink. [4] Fabric strips were laid into the ice as opposed to the usual painted stripes. The boards featured rotating and lit advertising panels, a concept using technology that was still in its infancy but later implemented in many NHL arenas. In-board advertisers included Toyota, Target, ITT Sheraton, Budweiser, Thrifty Car Rental, and Upper Deck trading cards.

The game

The air temperature at puck drop was around 85 °F (29 °C), going as high as 95 °F (35 °C) during the course of the game, with 28% humidity, although the ice held up well. The Rangers started the game well, with goals by Tony Amonte and Doug Weight for a 2−0 lead at the end of the first period. In the second period, the Kings replied with goals by Tony Granato, Brian Benning, and Sylvain Couturier to take a 3−2 lead at the end of the second period. The Kings added two more goals in the third period by Jari Kurri and Wayne Gretzky for a 5−2 win. [5]

The Kings were captained by Wayne Gretzky, while the Rangers had yet to name a captain for the upcoming season. The game was officiated by referee Rob Shick, with linesmen Mike Cvik and Shane Heyer.

Broadcasting

The game was televised live on Prime Ticket, and, due to its uniqueness, has since been repeated numerous times on other networks, such as MSG Network and the NHL Network. [6] During the game, Kings goaltender Kelly Hrudey wore a camera mounted on his mask, and shots from his point of view were used during the broadcast. [7]

Cancelled second game

A second exhibition game was scheduled between the Rangers and the Kings to take place on September 29, 1991, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game, however, was cancelled, due to poor and unsafe ice conditions at the Charlotte Coliseum. [8] [9]

Legacy

The outdoor preseason game in Las Vegas paved the way for the NHL to further promote the game in the city, beginning with the Kings' Frozen Fury preseason series with the Colorado Avalanche from 1997 to 2016. In 2009, the NHL moved its annual NHL Awards Night from Toronto to Las Vegas, with each event taking place at various venues within the city. [10] In 2017, the NHL expanded to Las Vegas with the establishment of the Vegas Golden Knights franchise, playing home games at T-Mobile Arena. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Gretzky</span> Canadian ice hockey player and coach

Wayne Douglas Gretzky is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One", he has been called the greatest ice hockey player ever by many sportswriters, players, The Hockey News, and the NHL itself, based on extensive surveys of hockey writers, ex-players, general managers and coaches. Gretzky is the leading goal scorer, assist producer and point scorer in NHL history, and has more career assists than any other player has total points. He is the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season, a feat he accomplished four times. In addition, Gretzky tallied over 100 points in 15 professional seasons, 13 of them consecutive. At the time of his retirement in 1999, he held 61 NHL records: 40 regular season records, 15 playoff records, and 6 All-Star records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Kings</span> National Hockey League team in California

The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent Cooke was awarded an NHL expansion franchise for Los Angeles on February 9, 1966, becoming one of the six teams that began play as part of the 1967 NHL expansion. The Kings played their home games at the Forum in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, for 32 years, until they moved to the Crypto.com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles at the start of the 1999–2000 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 Heritage Classic</span> Outdoor National Hockey League game

The Heritage Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played on November 22, 2003, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens. It was the first National Hockey League (NHL) game to be played outdoors as a part of regular season play. The Heritage Classic concept was modeled after the success of the "Cold War" game between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University in 2001. The game was given the tagline "A November to Remember".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jari Kurri</span> Finnish ice hockey player (b. 1960)

Jari Pekka Kurri is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. Beginning in 1980, he played right wing for five National Hockey League (NHL) teams: the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings, the New York Rangers, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and the Colorado Avalanche. Kurri played 17 seasons in the NHL and was the first Finnish player to be enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame, in 2001. He was a member of a Stanley Cup–winning team five times, all with the Oilers. In 2017, Kurri was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1985, and was the NHL goal scoring leader in the 1984–85 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marty McSorley</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Martin James McSorley is a Canadian former professional hockey player, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1983 to 2000. A versatile player, he could play both the forward and defense positions. He was also head coach of the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League from 2002 to 2004. He was a valued teammate of Wayne Gretzky when they played together for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, serving as an enforcer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luc Robitaille</span> Canadian ice hockey player, executive (b. 1966)

Luc Jean-Marie Robitaille is a Canadian–American professional ice hockey executive and former player. He currently serves as president of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Sather</span> Canadian ice hockey player, coach and executive

Glen Cameron “Slats” Sather is a Canadian ice hockey player, coach and executive. He is the current senior advisor and alternate governor of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was the Rangers' general manager until stepping down on July 1, 2015, and then served as their president until April 4, 2019.

The 1988–89 NHL season was the 72nd season of the National Hockey League. The Calgary Flames won an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens four games to two. This remains the last time two Canadian teams faced each other for the Stanley Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernie Nicholls</span> Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1961)

Bernard Irvine Nicholls is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre, who played over 1000 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). His junior career was spent with the Kingston Canadians, where he established himself as a dynamic scorer and a multi-faceted talent. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, 73rd overall. Over his 17-year playing career, Nicholls played 1,127 games for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks, scoring 1,209 points. He is one of only eight players in NHL history to score 70 goals in one season, and one of six to score 150 points. Nicholls was born in Haliburton, Ontario, but grew up in West Guilford, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomas Sandström</span> Swedish ice hockey player

Tomas Sandström is a Finnish-born Swedish former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1984 to 1999. Born in Finland, Sandström grew up in Fagersta, Sweden. A skilled power forward, he was effective when healthy but his career was marred by injuries due to his physical style of play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHL Winter Classic</span> Ice hockey game

The NHL Winter Classic is an annual outdoor ice hockey game played during the National Hockey League's (NHL) regular season on or around New Year's Day. It is generally held in a football or baseball stadium in an area with a resident NHL team. The Winter Classic is distinct from the league's two other series of outdoor games, the NHL Heritage Classic and the NHL Stadium Series. The first Winter Classic was held in 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. Fourteen Winter Classics have been held as of January 2023. The most recent game was played during the 2022–23 NHL season at Fenway Park, with the Boston Bruins defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 2–1.

The 1991–92 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 66th season. The season saw the Rangers finish in first place in the Patrick Division with a record of 50 wins, 25 losses, and 5 ties for 105 points. This was the highest points total in the league that season, netting the Rangers the Presidents' Trophy. This season marked the first time since the 1941–42 NHL season that the Rangers were the top team in the NHL. In the playoffs, they defeated their cross-river rivals, the New Jersey Devils, in seven games in the Division Semi-finals before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in the Division Finals.

The 1991–92 Los Angeles Kings season, was the Kings' 25th season in the National Hockey League. It saw the Kings finishing second in the Smythe Division with a record of 35–31–14. However, they were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Edmonton Oilers in six games.

Frozen Fury is an annual pre-season ice hockey game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL), held in Salt Lake City since 2021. A previous incarnation of the series was held between the Kings and the Colorado Avalanche in Las Vegas from 1997 to 2016. On four occasions, the Los Angeles Kings faced different teams instead of the Avalanche, once each against the Arizona Coyotes, the San Jose Sharks, New York Rangers, and the Dallas Stars. The 15th Frozen Fury was originally supposed to take place on September 29, 2012, but was cancelled due to the NHL lockout. It resumed September 27–28, 2013, with the New York Rangers making their debut in the series.

The 2013–14 NHL season was the 97th season of operation of the National Hockey League (NHL). This season features a realignment of the league's 30 teams from a six to a four division format. The regular season began October 1, and concluded April 13. The Stanley Cup playoffs began April 16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hockey Weekend Across America</span> Annual ice hockey promotional event

Hockey Weekend Across America is an annual event devised by USA Hockey to promote the game of ice hockey in the United States. The weekend is capped by "Hockey Day in America", with broadcasts of National Hockey League games on the national networks of NBC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 NHL Stadium Series</span> Outdoor National Hockey League game

The 2014 NHL Stadium Series was a series of four outdoor regular season National Hockey League (NHL) games played during the 2013–14 season. This series is distinct from the NHL Winter Classic and NHL Heritage Classic outdoor games. The Stadium Series games consisted of: the Los Angeles Kings against the Anaheim Ducks at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on January 25, 2014; the New Jersey Devils against the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx of New York City on January 26; the New York Islanders against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium on January 29; and the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Chicago Blackhawks at Soldier Field in Chicago on March 1, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHL outdoor games</span> Professional ice hockey games played outdoors

The National Hockey League (NHL) first held a regular season outdoor ice hockey game in 2003, and since 2008 the league has scheduled at least one per year.

References

  1. ↑ Thomas, Jr., Robert (August 29, 1991). "1991-1992 N.H.L. SEASON; Gamble Works: Rangers Play In Las Vegas". The New York Times . Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  2. ↑ Hammond, Rich (August 30, 2011). "Twenty years ago, in Las Vegas…". LA Kings Insider. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Outdoor hockey popular, even in Vegas". Fox Sports. January 1, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  4. ↑ Springer, Steve (August 27, 1991). "Ice in Desert? It's No Mirage : Hockey: Kings, Rangers play in Caesars Palace parking lot tonight". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  5. ↑ Springer, Steve (August 28, 1991). "Kings Are Headliners for a Night : Hockey: A hot tarp accidentally drops on the rink at Caesars Palace, but the show goes on as L.A. beats Rangers, 5-2". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Beezer on Winter Classic (video)". Blue Shirts United. December 22, 2011. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Kelly Hrudey: Bonus Clip From MSG's Vault (video)". MSG. December 21, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. ↑ Sicignano, Dan (December 29, 2011). "Revisiting The Rangers' First Outdoor Game". Blue Line Station. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Big Chill in Charlotte". Beaver County Times. August 30, 1991. p. B2. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  10. ↑ "2009 NHL Awards heads to Las Vegas for first time". NHL.com. NHL Enterprises. March 13, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
  11. ↑ Carp, Steve (June 22, 2016). "Las Vegas awarded NHL expansion team". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.