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Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The Vegas Golden Knights know the Vegas market has an important Latino demographic filled with potential new fans.
The Golden Knights routinely sell out their T-Mobile Arena venue, which has 17,367 fixed seats. Attendance is typically announced in the 18,000 range.
LVSportsBiz.com reported a year ago the franchise’s Los VGK initiative to reach more Las Vegas Latinos, and tonight the Knights are stepping up their efforts with a “Noche de Los VGK.” Hispanic Heritage Month is also being celebrated in Las Vegas.
Vegas even held a road trip in Mexico to extend the Golden Knights brand to a big Latino population, part of owner Bill Foley’s business quest to make the VGK brand a global brand.
The Golden Knights had face-painting and even low rider cars on the plaza outside the arena before their 7:08 PM puck drop with the Utah Hockey Club, the former Arizona Coyotes franchise that could not cut an arena deal in the metro Phoenix area.
Salt Lake City has welcomed the former Coyotes franchise, with the Utah Hockey Club playing in the Delta Center, which is also the home of the NBA Utah Jazz. Ryan and Ashley Smith own both the NHL tea and the Jazz, along with Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake.
The Coyotes were relegated to playing in a college arena (Arizona State) and had worn out its welcome after relocating themselves as the old original Winnipeg Jets. They had played arenas in downtown Phoenix and suburban Glendale before Tempe voters killed an arena proposal at the polls and the city of Scottsdake said no thanks to the Coyotes.
But the NHL franchise has found a home in Salt Lake.
The Golden Knights controlled play most of the first period.
But Utah scored on its first shot on goal against VGK netminder Adin Hill.
Logan Cooley took a pass and ripped the puck past Hill.
After one period, the Knights trailed Utah, 1-0, even though VGK had more shots on goal, 10-3.
After Utah defensean Ian Cole scored to give his team a 2-0 lead, the Tomas Hertl-Brett Howden-Pavel Dotofeyev line struck.
Howden did a nice job keeping the puck in the VGK offensive goal and fed Hertl who quickly passed the puck to Dotofeyev, who buried the puck easily past Utah goalie Connor Ingram.
It was Utah 2 Vegas 1 late in the second period.
Then Noah Hanifin popped the puck past Ingram a moment bef0re the second period buzzer at the 19:59 mark and VGK tied the game at two after two stanzas.
In the third, Hanifin lugged the puck up the ice with some nifty skating before feeding William Karlsson with a nice pocket pass before Karlsson scored on a backhander for a 3-2 Vegas lead.
But Utah’s Alexander Kerfoot toed the game at three and off to overtime the game went.
In OT, Howden made a gorgeous move to beat a defender and buried the game-winner for a VGK 4-3 win.
The Knights are eight-for-eight in games and wins in the friendly confines on T-Mobile Arena.
Vegas is 8-3-1 (all eight wins at home) for 17 points and travel to Edmonton to play the Oilers Wednesday and to Seattle to play the Kraken Friday before returning home for a Monday Nov. 11 game against the Carolina Hurricanes and former Original Misfit William Carrier.
