From 1993 to 1999, the Las Vegas Thunder shared the Thomas Mack Center with the UNLV basketball team, outdrew the Rebels at the turnstiles and showed that pro hockey not only could survive in the Las Vegas desert but also could flourish.
Ron Kantowski
Sports columnist
Email: rkantowski@reviewjournal.com
Phone: (702) 383-0352
Ron Kantowski is a sports columnist and covers auto racing for the Review-Journal. He has won multiple writing awards and in 2016 was named Nevada Sportswriter of the Year. Prior to beginning a long career in Las Vegas sports journalism, Kantowski attended Western New Mexico University in Silver City, N.M., where he played for the baseball team. He is a native of Whiting, Ind.
AJ Mleczko provided insight during the first six games of the Winnipeg-Nashville series as an NBC hockey analyst, which makes her something of an expert on the Knights’ opponent in the Western Conference Final that begins Saturday.
Throwing an octopus onto the ice in Detroit or booing NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman at first sight notwithstanding, the handshake at center ice upon completion of a playoff series remains one of hockey’s most endearing traditions.
Is this just another “one of them racin’ deals,” as the stock car racing announcers say on TV? Or are reports that NASCAR may be for sale something more than that?
Heading into Game 7 of the Winnipeg-Nashville second-round series, the home teams have won 31 games in the NHL playoffs and the away teams have won 33.
Needing to finish eighth or better to clinch his first 450SX class title, Jason Anderson flashed under the finish line tower fifth to add his name to the list of champions in front of a capacity crowd estimated at 35,000.
T-Mobile is quickly building a reputation as one of the NHL’s most deafening arenas. It’s like the amplifiers of the fictional rock band Spinal Tap: Where the roar in most buildings tops out at 10, it goes to 11 on Knights’ home ice.
It has been 28 years — 27 if you count the Rebels’ return to the Final Four in 1991 when they lost to Duke — since a local sports team has captivated and galvanized Las Vegas in the manner of the Golden Knights.
Carnell Johnson stands 6 feet 2 inches and weighs 280 pounds. When he finishes singing the national anthem before Game 5 of the Knights-San Jose Sharks playoff series at T-Mobile Arena Friday night, the noise will be deafening.
Jason Anderson has a 14-point lead on Marvin Musquin heading into the final round of the AMA Supercross championship Saturday night at Sam Boyd Stadium.
Spencer Gallagher was on top of the world Saturday after winning his first NASCAR Xfinity Series race. On Wednesday, the 28-year-old Las Vegan was suspended from NASCAR for violating its substance abuse policy.
Seconds after Spencer Gallagher flashed across the finish line in NASCAR overtime to win his first Xfinity Series race, pit reporter and fellow Las Vegas native Jamie Little could not contain her enthusiasm.
Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals was televised live and in prime time on NBC audience. It was first time the Golden Knights skated in front of a national TV audience.
They don’t throw chickens onto the ice at the RDV Sportsplex in Maitland, Florida, where Golden Knights forward Ryan Carpenter skated growing up. Not yet anyway.
Before making his Xfinity Series debut at Richmond Raceway in Virginia, teenager Noah Gragson predicted he was in for “a rude awakening.” He finished second.
