5 ‘best’ opposing NHL fan bases to visit T-Mobile Arena, so far
Golden Knights players have a unique method for determining how split the crowd will be each game at T-Mobile Arena.
The louder fans yell “night” during the national anthem, the more Knights fans there are in attendance.
Opposing fans have invaded Las Vegas this season to watch their favorite team play the expansion Knights, with some distinguishing themselves more than others.
The Knights start a seven-game homestand Sunday against Philadelphia and again will welcome some of the NHL’s most rabid fan bases, including the second visits from Chicago and Edmonton, and the first visit by the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 17.
Here is a look at five memorable groups of opposing fans to visit T-Mobile Arena.
5 (tie) Edmonton, Toronto and Winnipeg
It was hard to tell who had more fans among the three Canadian cities.
A large contingent of orange-clad Oilers fans watched their team’s 3-2 overtime victory Jan. 13 and serenaded star Connor McDavid in the first period with a rendition of “Happy Birthday” for his 21st.
Thousands of Maple Leafs fans celebrated New Year’s Eve despite a memorable hat trick from William Karlsson in the Knights’ 6-3 victory.
The Jets also had a huge following Nov. 10 and made their presence known during the Canadian national anthem when they yelled the “True North” lyric.
4 New York Rangers
The Blueshirts were out in force Jan. 7, as Rangers fans filled up The Park before the game and added a little ambience, shall we say, inside the arena.
(It only took about seven minutes of game action for one New York fan to whistle the 18-note tune that is the cue for the infamous “Potvin sucks!” chant.)
The Knights’ 2-1 victory attracted a standing room-only crowd of 18,234, which was the largest at T-Mobile Arena to that point.
3 Pittsburgh Penguins
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel always draw well on the road. But most of the Penguins fans were there to see Marc-Andre Fleury one more time.
Several young women lined the glass during warmups with signs proclaiming their adoration for the Knights goaltender, who spent the previous 13 seasons in Pittsburgh. The familiar “Fleury, Fleury” chant was heard several times during the game, and it was difficult to tell whether it was coming from Knights or Penguins fans.
When Jon Merrill scored in the third period to give the Knights a 2-1 win over the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, Penguins fans didn’t seem all that disappointed.
2 Detroit Red Wings
This was the game Fleury suffered a concussion that sidelined him for two months. It also marked the first major takeover of T-Mobile Arena.
The winged wheel was prominently displayed Oct. 13, and there were plenty of “Let’s go Red Wings” chants by visiting fans, who saw their team score four times in the third period to hand the Knights their first loss, 6-3.
One red-clad fan even tossed an octopus on the ice, per playoff tradition, after Detroit’s Anthony Mantha scored the tying goal early in the third. The fan was promptly escorted out of the arena.
1 Chicago Blackhawks
When the Blackhawks fans turned up the volume during the national anthem, as they are known to do, Knights fans responded to create an electric atmosphere inside T-Mobile.
The only thing missing was Jim Cornelison (or Wayne Messmer, for the older generation).
But aside from John Hayden’s short-handed goal in the first period, the folks from the second city didn’t have much to cheer in the Knights’ 4-2 victory.
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.
Top 5
Five largest Knights crowds at T-Mobile Arena:
— 18,351 vs. Edmonton (Jan. 13)
— 18,234 vs. New York Rangers (Jan. 7)
— 18,231 vs. Columbus (Jan. 23)
— 18,211 vs. Los Angeles (Nov. 19)
— 18,191 vs. Arizona (Oct. 10)
