Fans pack Dodger Stadium for first outdoor NHL game in California

Sandal-wearing California fans converged on sold-out 54,099-seat Dodger Stadium with its palm trees and mountain views for the second of six NHL outdoor contests in North America this season.

Fans cheer before NHL outdoor hockey game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday. Jae C Hong / AP Photo
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Skates scraped across the ice, bodies slammed into the boards with a thud and the black rubber puck hit the Plexiglas with a resounding crash.

The unique sounds of ice hockey filled Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday as the NHL held their first outdoor regular season game in California.

Instead of the snow-covered grounds that have been a part of the majority of the league’s other outdoor contests, palm trees swayed in the breeze and beach volleyball players kicked up sand on the court next to the rink where the Anaheim Ducks shut out the Los Angeles Kings 3-0.

The temperature was about 16°C when the puck was dropped at 7.16pm local time.

Several of the players, such as Ducks star Ryan Getzlaf, wore eye black because of the bright outdoor lights at the stadium.

But because of the warm evening air there was no need for goaltenders Jonas Hiller or Jonathan Quick to don toque’s atop their masks that was made fashionable by Canadiens goalie Jose Theodore in the NHL’s first regular season outdoor game in chilly Edmonton, Canada in 2003.

“It was a little warm, but there was a breeze,” said Kings forward Jarret Stoll. “The puck was bouncing a bit. It is a little hard to handle the puck so you just got to have that extra focus.”

In one of the most unusual sports scenarios, sandal-wearing California fans converged on sold-out 54,099-seat Dodger Stadium with its palm trees and mountain views for the second of six NHL outdoor contests in North America this season.

“The ice is actually pretty good. They did a great job,” Getzlaf said of the ice crew that took eight days to build the temporary rink.

Long-time Kings fan Ray Barber said he was not sure they were going to be able to pull it off.

“I was sceptical at first as to whether they could do it,” said the 56 year old from Brea, California. “Especially since we have had 80°C temperatures the past week.

“I am glad that with the technology now that they can do it.”

Barber has been going to Kings games for 28 years.

“This will show east coast fans that there is a huge hockey following in California,” he said.

Dodger Stadium is the home of Los Angeles’ Major League Baseball team.

The club’s renown announcer Vin Scully was part of the festivities Saturday as he welcomed the spectators before the University of Southern California marching band performed.

The NHL’s all-time leading scorer Wayne Gretzky was also part of the extravaganza as he did the ceremonial face-off.

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