You have to see it to believe it.
Peter DeBoer said those words after the Vegas Golden Knights coach gave the team a fun, spicy pregame workout on Friday at the NHL’s makeshift rink built atop the 18th fairway at Edgewood Tahoe Resort, one punch away from Lake. Tahoe with the Sierra Nevada in the distance.
“I don’t think the photos, as beautiful as they are, don’t do it justice,” said DeBoer. “I grew up in Canada and I know all over the Northeastern United States or Minnesota where they can build outdoor rinks, there’s always a competition on the street whose dad can build a better ice rink. Every year you come back, and someone adds explain or a scoreboard. This is a drop-the-mic-like outdoor track. It’s the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. “
DeBoer’s mouth was not the only one to fall when the Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche first skated on the rink that will host them in the Bridgestone NHL Outdoors Saturday (3:00 PM ET; NBC, SN1, SN, TVAS).
“Hard to describe, actually,” Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said.
Vegas captain Mark Stone said: “The view of the mountains is incredible. Since those big trees sort of surround the ice rink, they’ve done a great job of making everything look really rustic with the wood paneling. It really brings it back to the outdoor rinks of the old” school. It’s probably the best outdoor track you’ll ever see. “
This wasn’t just lip service. The players and coaches of both teams did their best to live up to it, to make the most of the experience by getting to the rink early and staying on the ice until the last seconds of their allotted time were up.
Video: 2021 NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe Time Lapse
Vegas first rehearsed at 10 a.m. local time. The Avalanche took to the ice around 11:30 am.
“I think a good example was today we had early practice and two buses went and I think there were only three or four guys waiting for the second bus,” Vegas says ahead Reilly Smith said. “Everyone was so excited to come here and see what was going on, even though most of us came here last night to see the facility. It’s special. For many of us, it’s probably just going to be a once-in -a Lifelong experience. Outdoor games are very few. To be able to play in one, especially here in this setting, is pretty amazing. We want to soak it up. There are a lot of games during this season, be sure to mark this one. “
The wind and sun made for challenging conditions, but the ice held up even as the brilliance grew brighter as the morning turned into the afternoon. Altitude certainly tested lung abilities.
This weekend’s games, including the Honda NHL Outdoors Sunday between the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins (2:00 p.m. ET; NBC, SN1, SN, TVAS), will be played 2,224 meters above sea level.
It is the second-tallest game in NHL history behind the 2020 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series game at Falcon Stadium on the Air Force Academy campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The one between the Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings was played at an altitude of 6,621 feet.
Video: Listen to the sounds of the ice rink in Lake Tahoe
No one seemed to care about any of the challenges.
“We went through some traditional pregame practice stuff early on and then played a little 3v3 to get the experience these guys would have on an outdoor court in the small towns where they grew up if you just went out and the puck dropped and played for hours, “said DeBoer.
It should be an unforgettable Saturday.
“There is something to be said just for our team and the Vegas team that gets on this ice right by the lake,” said Avalanche coach Jared Bednar. “You’re standing on the ice looking straight at the lake. We’re on the edge of it. Tomorrow will be quite an experience to be able to play. Even without the fans, it will be something special here that guys will be able to look back on and say that.” that was a really cool experience for our team. “