2020 NHL Stadium Series

The 2020 NHL Stadium Series was an outdoor regular season National Hockey League (NHL) game, part of the Stadium Series of games that took place on February 15, 2020. The game featured the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche at Falcon Stadium, located on the campus of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.[1][2] The Kings defeated the Avalanche by a score of 3–1. This was the only game in the Stadium Series that has been scheduled so far for the 2019–20 season (as opposed to multiple games in 2014 and 2016).

2020 NHL Stadium Series
123 Total
Los Angeles Kings 102 3
Colorado Avalanche 010 1
DateFebruary 15, 2020
ArenaFalcon Stadium
CityColorado Springs, Colorado
Attendance43,574
← 2019 2021 →

The United States Air Force Academy's a cappella group In The Stairwell performed the anthem prior to puck drop.

Background

This was the second time the Avalanche have hosted the Stadium Series, as they last hosted the event in 2016 at Coors Field, as well as the second time a military academy has hosted the Stadium Series, after Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium hosted the 2018 event.[3] Also, this was the Kings' third NHL outdoor regular season game, following the 2014 and 2015 Stadium Series. This marks their second as the visiting team.[1]

Traffic issues

Due to traffic issues getting into Falcon Stadium during that day, a number of fans ended up missing large portions of the game. Both the league and the Air Force Academy had sent out traffic advisories throughout the week beforehand. But several accidents, weather conditions, and lane closures on Interstate 25 combined with delays getting through security at the academy's two main gates turned what is normally about a 45-minute travel time from Denver to over four hours. A fatal accident then occurred after the game at the north gate, causing all vehicles to be rerouted through the south gate. The academy later issued a statement saying that it did all it could to ease the congestion, but "despite our best efforts, all of these, added to the already challenging traffic conditions along the I-25 corridor, combined and unfortunately impacted some fans travelling to the game".[4][5][6]

Game summary

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3–1, with Kings forward Tyler Toffoli recording the first hat trick in an NHL outdoor game. Toffoli opened up the scoring at 14:01 of the first period. Colorado defenseman Samuel Girard tied the game less than a minute left in the second period. Toffoli then scored the game-winning goal with 55 seconds left and then added an empty-net goal with five seconds remaining. Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Quick made 32 saves in the win. Colorado goalie Philipp Grubauer made 14 saves before leaving the game with an injury in the third period, while backup goalie Pavel Francouz made six saves.[7][8]

Scoring summary
Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score
1st LA Tyler Toffoli (16) Alex Iafallo (19), Joakim Ryan (3) 14:01 LA 1–0
2nd COL Samuel Girard (3) Mikko Rantanen (21) 19:18 1–1
3rd LA Tyler Toffoli (17) Anze Kopitar (33) 19:05 LA 2–1
LA Tyler Toffoli (18) – en Anze Kopitar (34), Alex Iafallo (20) 19:55 LA 3–1
Number in parenthesis represents the player's total in goals or assists to that point of the season
Penalty summary
Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM
1st LA Jeff Carter Hooking 7:07 2:00
COL Gabriel Landeskog Tripping 7:10 2:00
2nd No penalties
3rd LA Blake Lizotte Holding 9:10 2:00
COL Andre Burakovsky Interference 9:27 2:00
Three star selections
Team Player Statistics
1st LA Tyler Toffoli Hat trick (3 goals)
2nd LA Jonathan Quick 32 saves
3rd COL Samuel Girard 1 goal

Team rosters
^ Cal Petersen dressed as the back-up goaltender for Los Angeles and did not enter the game.

Scratches

References
  1. "LA Kings To Play Avalanche At Air Force Academy". CBSLosAngeles.com. CBS Broadcasting, Inc. January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  2. Kesting, Amanda (January 1, 2019). "NHL Stadium Series coming back to Colorado in 2020". 9News.com. Tegna. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  3. "NHL announces plan to host outdoor games at military academies". ESPN.com. May 29, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  4. Wyshynski, Greg (February 15, 2020). "Hockey fans miss large portions of Kings-Avs game at Air Force's Falcon Stadium because of traffic". ESPN.
  5. "Air Force Academy says accidents partly to blame for Stadium Series traffic". Associated Press. ESPN. February 16, 2020.
  6. "NHL, Air Force Academy release statement on Stadium Series game". KDVR. February 16, 2020.
  7. "Toffoli's hat trick leads Kings past Avalanche in Stadium Series". Associated Press. Sportsnet. February 15, 2020.
  8. "Toffoli scores hat trick, Kings top Avalanche at Stadium Series". NHL.com. February 15, 2020.
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