NHL games coming to Lake Tahoe on the 18th fairway in February? Believe it
Hockey on a golf course, on the shores of North America’s largest alpine lake?
It’s happening.
The NHL on Monday announced it will have two regular-season games next month in an outdoor rink to be erected on the 18th fairway of the Edgewood Tahoe Resort, home of the annual American Century Championship since 1990.
It’s different, it’s fun and that’s the point. The two-day event is called, “NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe.”
The Feb. 20 contest will feature the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche, and the Feb. 21 contest features the Philadelphia Flyers against the Boston Bruins.
The games will start at noon on NBC. The only bummer is no fans will be allowed, per COVID-19 concerns.
This continues the NHL’s tradition of outdoor games. These games will be the 31st and 32nd such events since 2003, according to NHL.com.
Said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in a news conference Monday, “We can’t wait to get on site for what undoubtedly will be two thrilling games in a breathtaking setting. ... We will continue to our tradition of taking the game and our players back to their outdoor roots. If you look at the big picture, the setting is going to be spectacular for us to be outdoors. We were looking a picturesque, magnificent place with a lake and mountains that are snow-covered.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to put on a major event, even though we’re not able to have fans. If you look at the big picture, the setting is going to be spectacular for us to be outdoors. We were looking a picturesque, magnificent place with a lake and mountains that are snow-covered.”
Said Don Fehr, Executive Director of the NHL Players Association, “Although the atmosphere will be different this year with no fans in the stands, the players relish the opportunity to compete in these marquee events and are looking forward to playing outdoors in February.”
This story was originally published January 11, 2021 at 2:00 PM.