The first-ever home game in Desert Dogs history had everything you’d expect from a team playing in Las Vegas. That is, except the part where the house wins, as they lost for the second time this season to Panther City, 9-3.
Just over 7,000 fans were energetic through the 13-minute pregame ceremony, including an appearance by team owners Joe Tsai, Steve Nash and Janet and Wayne Gretzky, who were presented with a Key to the Strip. Fans added their traditional “Knights” to the anthem, which was complete with pyrotechnics. KA by Cirque du Soleil took the floor for the halftime show. It was truly a Vegas spectacle.
Panther City jumped out to a 2-0 lead, including Will Malcom scoring in transition for his 100th career point. The goal took some energy out of the crowd, as did opening night hiccups. These included shot-clock malfunctions, weird bounces off the boards and one instance where a hit sent a player through an unlocked door in the corner.
Head coach Shawn Williams admitted, there were some jitters from everyone on opening night.
It took nearly the entire second quarter to get the crowd going again when Jacob Ruest cut through the middle on a transition change to score the first home goal in franchise history. The goal followed a save from Landon Kells denying a cross-crease dive from Cameron Wengreniuk. On multiple occasions the Vegas netminder came up with saves stretching right to left through the crease. Kells was spectacular all night making 35 saves.
A run of those in the third allowed the Desert Dogs to sneak within a goal. First, Zack Greer finished off a beautiful passing play with the man advantage. Charlie Bertrand followed that when a rebound bounced past Greer and off the end boards, giving Bertrand an empty net. Kells ended the period stopping a Tony Malcom breakaway, and a Jonathan Donville chance in tight. Panther City still led 4-3 entering the final quarter.
Donville, the former first-overall pick, would get his revenge early in the final frame, driving to the net after a fake for his first career NLL goal. It was the first of five scored in the quarter, capped by Dean Fairall’s second of the game into the empty net. Three of the final five were scored on the Panther City power play, which scored five goals on six opportunities (one major). Nick Damude was a huge factor, making 30 saves in the game – all 16 faced in the first and fourth quarters.
Seven different Panther City players scored goals, and eleven overall registered a point in their 9-3 win, moving them to 2-0 on the season.
Fans got a look at the physical aspect of the game when, as mentioned above, Jack Hannah was sent flying through the open corner doors, and late in the game a scrum broke out that featured Vegas captain Rob Hellyer square off with Tyler Burton.
