Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/958383
USICERINKS.COM MARCH.APRIL.2018 / 15 the words #VegasStrong. The names of victims were projected on the ice and on patches on both teams' jersey sleeves. The new National Hockey League team was determined to stand up for the community that raised it. Players met victims at hospitals and donated blood and visited the police department. They mourned. They tried to help. In turn, the locals supported them. "[The Golden Knights] went a long way to helping this city heal from really just an unbelievable tragedy. I'll tell you myself, being out here, seeing the way the community rallied," says Dan Patterson, general manager at City National Arena where the Golden Knights practice. "I mean we had lines that were eight hours long at blood banks just to register to give blood. Because the community came together. And they came together and then rallied behind the team." Showing Their Hand Las Vegans' dedication to their hometown's first major professional team shows in the turnout at their practices at City National Arena. Opened in 2017, the two-sheet facility is regularly at capacity with practices open to the public. Even when Patterson worked with the Los Angeles Kings, in a city more than six times as large, he didn't see this level of enthusiasm. "It's not unheard of to come in on a Saturday for practice, and there's close to 700, 800 people in the stands watching. It's really pretty incredible. I thought it was going to die down after training camp, but it's been consistent all season," Patterson says. "People really get to have a chance to see how fast and big these guys are without necessarily having to go to a game yet." Many know Vegas for the Strip and its casinos. They haven't caught on to the growing hockey community there. Locals have been catching the hockey bug after watching practices for free at City National Arena, attending games and learning to skate themselves. The City National Arena has been an ideal place to start. While the facility primarily serves the NHL, planners also built the place with the public in mind. Visitors walk through the door and have the guest services department right there to answer any questions they may have. They can buy hockey tape at The Arsenal Pro Shop or grab a bite to eat at Mackenzie River Pizza on the second floor. The restaurant overlooks both rinks, so it's a comfortable perch to check out all the action. Even the morning of Super Bowl Sunday, fans packed inside to watch the Golden Knights battle on screen against Washington. "IF ANYONE'S EVER IN LAS VEGAS AND WANTS TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S NORMAL LAS VEGAS, COME CHECK OUT THE RINK." Golden Knights practices are open to the public at City National Arena.