LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Vegas Golden Knights returned to the ice Thursday to take on the Arizona Coyotes in an exhibition game, the first live game since NHL play was stopped amid the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States.
The team traveled to Edmonton, Canada, to take on the Coyotes and beat them 4-1.
Some fans headed to City National Arena in Summerlin to cheer on the team.
"This is the best night to come back to and support the team, it's been a long, long, long winter, spring, summer," said Gerri Barker, a Vegas Golden Knights fan who came to watch the game at MacKenzie River Pizza, Grill and Pub inside City National Arena.
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The COVID-19 crisis has pushed the NHL season into a major powerplay and completely different format to wrap up the 2020 season.
The Vegas Golden Knights traveled to Edmonton to begin a gauntlet playoff push with hopes of making it to the Stanley Cup finals again.
"Above all, I'm watching Mark Stone," said John Connolly, also a Golden Knights fan.
"I think Mark Stone knows this is his chance for a Stanley Cup and he's going to play his heart out, so keep your eye on Stone this year, he's going to be the man to make it happen!" added Connolly.
Pre-registered fans, about 50 or so, took to the ice at City National Arena to watch the game live on a giant screen.
The Golden Knights gave fans a lot to cheer about, scoring four goals, including an empty netter at the end of regulation.
"With everything that's going on in the city, and there are so many people laid off, I am personally laid off too," said Connolly.
"That's why it's so important to have something that we can rally around, we get an opportunity to support our Golden Knights, to get us all the way to the playoffs, to get us to the Stanley Cup Final, this would really bring our city back," added Connolly.
Bringing the city back after tough times is what the Golden Knights seem to do.
Even though now, we are socially distant, wearing face coverings and washing our hands to protect each other.
We can still, even from a distance, chant, GO KNIGHTS GO!
"It's our Vegas boys, we're here to support them, we can't wait to go to the real-life games again, but until then, we're going to watch them on TV and we're going to be cheering whether it's [at City National Arena] or at home, we are Golden Knights fans!" said Montyne Connolly.
NHL Network was the exclusive broadcast of the team's exhibition game. AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain will broadcast the team's three round-robin games and entire first round.
Fox Sports Las Vegas 98.9 FM/1340 AM will broadcast each of the team's games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Each game during the 2020 playoff run can also be heard on ESPN Deportes 1460 AM.
Vegas Golden Knights announce upcoming game broadcast information
