California Love: NHL Stadium Series Draws Big Crowd At Levi's Stadium

A crowd of 70,205 attended Saturday night's Kings-Sharks NHL Stadium Series game at Levi's Stadium, the "third-largest crowd in NHL history." The 49ers' home stadium "was no frozen prairie," but the "genuine passion of fans who are establishing California as the epicenter of the sport's growth" was on display. The game, which the visiting Kings won 2-1, "continues a golden era for California hockey" (L.A. TIMES, 2/22). The game was played "under less-than-stellar ice conditions." Kings coach Darryl Sutter said, "It's hard to have great ice because it was so humid as the game went on. But I think they were doing everything they could to get snow off. I think they got their money's worth" (L.A. TIMES, 2/22). The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS' Mark Purdy writes under the header, "Outdoor Hockey A Smashing Success In San Jose."