LCS Hockey - Kings and Avalanche Battle in Las Vegas

Kings and Avalanche Battle in Las Vegas
Jason Sheehan, Washington Correspondent

If you thought the Mall connected to the Hartford Civic Center was something, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Both the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche played Saturday and Sunday in a building connected to the biggest hotel/casino/theme park in the world — the MGM Grand Garden arena in Las Vegas. However, for these teams, it wasn't a vacation. Instead, each player had to treat his trip to Vegas as training camp on location.

MGM pass

The Avalanche didn't arrive until just before the morning skate, which began at 10:30. That didn't give the players any time to partake in the bright lights of Sin City. But those lucky few not dressed for the nightly game were already making plans for a night on the town.

"A lot of our guys come here in the off-season and do a little gambling," said forward Keith Jones, who missed most of last season with a knee injury. "It's nice to come in and have a reason to come here besides betting.

"Hopefully, tonight [we can gamble.] Because I'm not playing [in the game], we'll probably have dinner and play cards."

Like the players, I was on a mission at the MGM — that mission being to place LCS: Guide To Hockey on the map. Numerous times during the two-day trot, the phrase www.lcshockey.com sprung from my lips. The MGM public relations staff as well as several players now know of our existence. By the end of each day, I found myself just saying, "lcshockey.com with three w's in the front." I never knew world domination could be so tiring.

Having a venue to advertise our web site and interview NHL players is quite a change from when LCS founder Michael Dell was shunned at the 1994 NHL Draft in Hartford by league representative Susan Aglietti. Apparently, she thought we were a "mistake." Yet, over time, the only thing we've proven is that she made the ultimate mistake by delaying our venture into the world of journalism.

Now, with Aglietti a distant memory, LCS is flying high with no one in sight to call us a joke.

This fact was proven last weekend when almost everyone I talked to seemed genuinely interested in exploring the web site. Cool stuff. Best of all, however, players and coaches treated me with the same respect given to established news sources such as the L.A. Times and Associated Press. We belong, baby.

Kings

The Kings go for a skate.
by Jason Sheehan

After the morning skate, in which I interviewed Jones and Kings coach Larry Robinson for upcoming feature stories, I went home and attempted to move my clock ahead five hours. When I realized just because my digital clock read 6:30 p.m. didn't really mean it was time to leave, I had to re-tune my body clock to 2 p.m. Don't try this at home, kids.

All kidding aside, it eventually did come time to leave for the MGM Grand. After sprinting through the casino with a laptop on my shoulder, which I never got to use, I finally arrived at the arena. But unfortunately there were no seats available at the press table with my name on it. So, as the MGM advised, I found an empty seat about two rows above the press section, which was located at center ice in the front portion of the upper deck. The MGM Grand Garden seats about 12,000 for hockey.

During the game, I had the privilege of sitting next to a hockey guru from the Czech Republic named Mickey. Like me, he had press credentials. But unfortunately, only half of what he said could be understood. Basically, his words translated to "I...lunch...Hasek," meaning he ate lunch with Hasek.

Mickey, who has resided in Denver for 15 years, was both a joy and a challenge. His vast recollection of how many games Patrick Roy blew last season due to his inept puck-handling skills was impressive every time the famed goaltender botched a pass. And Roy caused havoc around his net almost every time he tried to make a play. Fortunately, a goal was never scored due to his inept play with the puck.

Besides dissecting Roy's game, he also has a love for Avalanche rookie and Czech Republic Gold Medal winner, Milan Hejduk, who scored his first NHL goal Saturday. Strange stuff, indeed.

The biggest surprise Saturday came when both teams were deadlocked at two apiece at the end of 60 minutes of play. Instead of playing a five minute overtime session, the players and referees (there were two zebras with orange bands) opted for a shootout because of chippy ice. The shootout was eventually won in unbelievable fashion when Los Angeles' 10th shooter, Sandy Moger, deposited a shot past a sprawling Roy.

The crowd, which occupied three-fourths of the arena, roared each time a goal was scored or a save was made. Based on this reaction, the shootout may have credibility in settling regular season ties.

I've always been a fan of the shootout," said Luc Robitaille, "especially during the season. I think that there should be a point for a tie after overtime and then there should be a shootout. You saw it tonight (Saturday). The fans love it."

Jones, however, doesn't think he would benefit much if this tie-breaking system were adopted by the NHL. But that didn't stop him from giving the best one-liner of the weekend.

"I've never scored on a breakaway in my life," he said, "and I don't plan on it. I need someone to take the goalie out for me first."

Of note: Robitaille was seen after the game chatting with actor Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap), who was looking for recruits to go partying with at Studio 54, a club inside the MGM Grand. Robitaille, well aware of the party animal raging inside of Bakula's soul, warned him against getting an unnamed player drunk. But overall, they seem like two buddies with a long, happy past.

On Sunday, I watched the action unfold below with four hockey nuts — three of which were from Los Angeles and one, named Ray, from Denver. These guys, especially the ones from L.A., treated the pre-season game like it was an epic battle for the Stanley Cup. They were the loudest bunch in the half-empty arena.

"What do you call two Avalanche players who collide at center ice," asked the creative L.A. man with a goatee. "An Avalsandwich." After awhile, it was hard to decipher whether it was the man talking or the double marguerites he kept raising to his lips. Yet, despite consuming a massive amount of alcohol, he was funny, funny, funny. And he ended every joke with, "And you can quote me on that," knowing full well that I am a reporter.

When Robitaille scored his first of two goals, he said, "That's spelt Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuc and you can quote me on that!" Now, that's the demo audience LCS thrives to reach.

Oh yeah. The game? I almost forgot. The Avalanche battled back to beat the Kings, 5-4, after trailing throughout most of the contest. The game-winner was scored midway through the third period by Jones, who in typical style picked up a loose puck from the slot and buried it past Frederic Chabot.

"I think I still have a ways to go yet," said Jones, "but it was a nice feeling to finally get a goal after a long time. If I continue to work hard the next month, by the time the season starts I'll feel a little bit better."

The aforementioned Kings fans? They lost a bet and had to buy a round of drinks for Ray. They'll never learn.

Best line of the night: Adam Foote walked past our group and said, "You guys are baaaahd." Now that's hockey!