SANTA CLARA, Calif. – It was a cool 52 degrees when the first puck dropped at Levi’s Stadium for the Coors Light Stadium Series game between the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings. There were 70,205 fans on hand to watch the first ever northern California outdoor NHL game.
National Anthem – Photo by Jack Lima
“A great weekend here in Santa Clara,” said Commissioner Gary Bettman following the game, “having over 70,000 people here tonight –which I believe of the Stadium Series games it was the third most well-attended. It was a fun game, a fun evening, and everybody in the stands, unless of course at the end you were rooting for San Jose, had a great time. But it was a game with two points importantly at stake. It’s part of an intense rivalry. And if you think about the state of hockey in California, focus on the fact that youth participation is approaching 100% increase over the last 20 years, that between this game, and the one in Dodger Stadium, 125,000 people attended the two games, and that there are great rivalries among the three California teams.”
Antti Niemi and Joe Thornton lead the Sharks onto the ice – Photo by Jack Lima
Singer Songwriter Kris Allen sang his hit “Live Like We’re Dying” accompanied by the Symphony Silicon Valley. Then following player introductions, he performed the U.S. National Anthem, accompanied by the symphony.
Logan Couture (39) and Brent Burns (88) take the ice for pre-game warmups – Photo by Jack Lima
Then it was game on. It wasn’t long after the first puck dropped that the Kings forward Kyle Clifford found the net, breaking his own 15-game streak without a goal. Clifford’s goal at 2:46 into the opening period was a long shot from near the blue line that gets pass Antti Niemi.
Sharks Cioach Todd McLellan – Photo by Jack Lima
A few more opportunities in both ends, but it was not until 18:56 that Brent Burns lifted the puck up and over Jonathan Quick’s right pad for the tying goal. Burns corralled a loose puck in the circle, then moved down the boards for a low angle shot to the opposite side of the goal.
Brent Burns – Photo by Jack Lima
The second period, remained scoreless, but the play became more aggressive, with the bulk of hits coming in this period.
Matt Irwin (52) and Matt Nieto (83) line up for the faceoff – Photo by Jack Lima
Kings Marian Gaborik broke the tie, when the puck became loose in the neutral zone. Gaborik scooped it up and raced down the side near the boards, then slapped the puck past Niemi at 4:04 from the top of the circle.
Joe Pavelski (8) and Jeff Carter(77) battle for loose puck – Photo by Jack Lima
Despite pulling Niemi during the last minute of the game, the Sharks could not get the puck past Quick in the net. The King’s earn another victory with a final score of 2-1 and extend their winning streak to seven games and move within five points of a playoff position.
Tyler Kennedy (L) and Marin Gaborik (12) fight for position – Photo by Jack Lima
Quick stopped 31 of 32 shots, while earning is 200th NHL victory (200-132-43 in 385 games played).
Niemi gets the loss with 27 saves.
Jarret Stoll (28) tries to get around Scott Hannan (27) – Photo by Jack Lima
“We made a couple mistakes,” said Coach Todd McLellan after the game. “The last one on Gaborik’s goal was disappointing because we had talked about that exact situation. Playing a very aggressive north-south game, we wanted to eliminate the neutral zone. It wasn’t a good zone for us because the passes were ragged. The puck was flopping all over, and whoever established a fore-check for any given timeframe, two minutes at a time, had the advantage. We turned it over and it was in our net. So I’m disappointed in that.”
Jamie McBain and James Sheppard – Photo by Jack Lima
This was the second year in a row for the King’s to play in an outdoor game. Coach Daryl Sutter remarked following the game when asked if there was anything that stood out different this year from last year, “We didn’t score a goal in the outdoor game last year.”
Sutter was overall pleased with the conditions of the ice and the entire event. Some players commented on the ice condition, as the humidity made for extra snow conditions on the ice, but in the end, everyone involved was pleased.
Brent Burns and Brenden Dillion – Photo by Jack Lima
In addition to the game action, there were some brief entertainment acts between periods, which kept the fans in their seats. John Fogerty, a native of California played a few shortened versions of a few of his hits during the first intermission. Then Melissa Ethridge performed during the second intermission. She played some of her former hits, and played her guitar, as fireworks sparked around her.
Prior to the game, fans were invited to celebrate on the spectator plaza, which included a live local band Neon Velvet from the Bay Area, interactive family-friendly games and attractions, food and beverages.
During the game, fans were invited to download the Levi’s Stadium app onto their smartphones which later allowed them to take part in the crowd-generated “light show” during the musical performances. Then the apps would allow fans to place in-stadium orders for food and merchandise to be delivered to their seats and stream highlights of the game.
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