Last night at the first hockey game at T-Mobile since June 7, 2018, it seemed like the 17,567 VGK fans never left the building and had been camped out for three-plus months just waiting for this game. Their passion for this team and for hockey was just as strong at last night’s pre-season game as it was for last season’s 102 games. Yes, last night was merely a pre-season game, but T-Mobile Arena, which has a seating capacity of 17,500 for hockey, had 67 fans over capacity who wanted in so bad that they were willing to stand for the entire game.
This is completely unheard of. Pre-season games in the NHL simply don’t sell out, at least they didn’t prior to the Foley-Maloof hockey experiment in the desert.
Sorry, Detroit. Las Vegas is now “Hockeytown.”
In his post-game presser, Coach Gallant told the media that the players were in awe of the atmosphere in the building last night. Player for player, they said it felt like a playoff game.
VGK newcomer and already a fan favorite, Max “Patches” Pacioretty said he had goosebumps when he felt the energy of the crowd. He went so far as to say he felt like a kid out there.
Most veterans like Patches barely tolerate pre-season games, but the NHL requires that at least eight players with prior big-league experience play in them. Patches, along with a few of the other veterans, could have fooled me. They were all juiced up to play and the crowd had a lot to do with it.
In the NFL, the intense crowds that gather to watch the Seattle Seahawks play home games are the 12th man. Similarly, the passion of T-Mobile’s 17,500-plus fans put the VGK on the power play for every game played at T-Mobile. It’s a treat to be part of this. While NFL games have empty seats for regular-season games, the VGK fill up the building for exhibition games. Goalie Dylan Ferguson’s dad couldn’t get into last night’s sold-out game.
The other veterans in last night’s lineup joining Patches were Colin Miller, Nick Holden, William Karlsson, Brad Hunt, Jonathan Marchessault, and Tomas Nosek, plus Tomas Hyka who played 10 games for Vegas last year.
The veterans didn’t disappoint. Just 16 seconds into the game, many of the fans had had barely enough time to sit down, when Jonathan Marchessault scored, assisted by Tomas Nosek. Nosek, who played with the top line last night, looked impressive with his offensive skills, registering three assists. He also played on the first power-play unit. A video of him talking about playing on the top line is on my Facebook page, which can be found under Vegas Hockey Guy or Joe Pane.
Vegas scored four times in the first 20 minutes of the game and added three more goals for a 7-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes.
Rookie defenseman Jake Bischoff, who scored just 3:44 after the opening goal, may have a legitimate chance to see some playing time this season. Potentially opening the door for him are the 20-game suspension of Nate Schmidt for alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs and the continuing absence of Shea Theodore, who is still not in camp and, it appears, won’t be with the team when they play their first game on October 4 at T-Mobile against Philadelphia. Boschoff had a good showing, logging over 22 minutes of ice time within his 24 shifts.
Two other VGK prospects who skated last night also looked poised and ready for some prime time during this upcoming 82-game season. Defensemen Erik Brannstrom and Nicolas Hague also have the luxury of the Schmidt/Theodore saga to seize their opportunity to impress the coaching staff. Last night, they did just that.
Brannstrom had a goal and an assist and drew two penalties on the same play. His skating ability and speed will force opponents to commit infractions in order to slow him down. Coach Gallant did say post-game that Brannstrom skates so well, he sometimes skates the puck into trouble; that will have to be corrected if he wants to play with the big club this season.
Hague had an astonishing 26:49 minutes of ice time last night over 26 shifts — just about half the game! When I asked Coach Gallant if Hague’s extended ice time was by design, he said no. I believe the coaching staff will have to make a few key choices as to which seven defensemen leave camp with the team. Hague might be the choice they’re not sure of yet, so giving him these extended minutes may help with their decision. Hague added a power-play goal on a toe drag around an Arizona player off a pretty pass by Cody Glass, another of the highly touted VGK prospects. Hague also added a power-play assist on Patches’ power-play goal.
All in all, last night was only a pre-season game on which we shouldn’t put too much emphasis, but it sure looks like the VGK roster is deep with veterans and more than a few young prospects who have a real good chance to wear the shield this season.
VGK goal scorers: Marchessault (2), Bischoff, Pacioretty (PPG), Karlsson (PPG), Hague (PPG), Brannstrom (PPG)
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