Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning had a rough night in Vegas last night, losing 4-3 on a goal scored with less than three seconds in the game.
Still, Vegas left a positive impression on him.
For years, hockey fans and media have questioned the NHL’s decision to stay away from certain Canadian cities, opting instead for teams in the sun-belt where winter sports aren’t thought to be as popular. Even with Nashville’s success, people still consistently doubted Las Vegas’ ability to attract big crowds, but with the team off to an excellent start, it appears the fans are fully behind the team.
It’s obviously early, but Steven Stamkos had some high praise for the atmosphere at the game.
"It was the best atmosphere I've played in a regular season game in a long time."
It’s easy for everyone to assume that Canadians deserve more NHL teams, but teams south of the border are proving to have pull in several unorthodox markets and it has more potential to grow the game globally in America. In fact, Vegas has a higher attendance percentage this year than every Canadian team (102.6%).
Vegas continues to shock people on and off the ice.
