Avs, Kings game delayed after fans shatter glass
Bizarre scenes unfolded during the second period of Tuesday night’s Game 2 of the first-round series between the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche.
Fans behind the Kings’ bench caused a pane of glass to shatter behind the coaching staff, and play had to be paused until the crew at the arena could clean up the damage and properly replace the pane.
THIS IS INSANE: THE FANS IN COLORADO WERE SO HYPED FOR THE PENALTY SHOT SAVE THAT THEY SHATTERED THE GLASS BEHIND THE KINGS BENCH 😱🤯
While the game was paused, ESPN color commentator and former Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson asked Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog about the situation.
“Never there,” Landeskog said. “You’ve seen it from slap shots and maybe hard hits in the corners, things like that, but never like that… Fans got a little too excited maybe.”
In the accidental intermission due to broken glass behind the LA Kings' bench, @6ErikJohnson interviewed his former Captain, asking Gabe Landeskog if he'd ever seen anything like that in all his days #GoAvsGo #GoKingsGo #NHL #StanleyCup
This was the moment that the cameras caught the glass breaking behind the LA Kings' bench Scary stuff #GoAvsGo #GoKingsGo #NHL #StanleyCup
The game was locked in a 0-0 stalemate at the time of the incident as Los Angeles and Colorado looked for a win that would either allow the Kings to steal home ice advantage or give the Avalanche a 2-0 lead heading to Southern California.
Game 1 was also a close, defensive battle between the two foes, ending with a 2-1 Colorado victory after a furious push by the Kings to erase a two-goal deficit in the final minutes fell short. Artturi Lehkonen and Logan O’Connor found the back of the net for the Avs, while Artemi Panarin delivered Los Angeles’ lone goal.
Goalies Anton Forsberg and Scott Wedgewood held up well in Tuesday’s game until the third period, when Panarin struck first before Landeskog answered to send Game 2 to overtime.
Colorado is looking to break the Presidents’ Trophy curse and win the second Stanley Cup of the Nathan MacKinnon era after capturing the 2022 title.
The Kings, on the other hand, may not be thrilled to meet up with the Presidents’ Trophy winners, but they’re certainly glad to see anyone other than the Edmonton Oilers, who knocked them out in the first round four years in a row prior to this season.