Academy officials said that last night would surely rank as Air Force's largest ever home hockey crowdGETTY IMAGES
Last night's Colorado College-Air Force hockey game at Falcon Stadium "ran smoothly and came to fruition for the players just as intended" following several "hitches" that plagued Saturday's Kings-Avalanche NHL Stadium Series game, according to Brent Briggeman of the Colorado Springs GAZETTE. The college game drew 7,178 fans, and Air Force record books "do not mention largest crowds." However, Academy officials said that the Falcon Stadium crowd "would undoubtedly rank as the largest home hockey crowd" in its history. Cadet Ice Arena, the usual venue for Air Force hockey games, has a capacity of "slightly more than 2,500" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 2/18).
STADIUM SERIES SNAFU: The DENVER POST's Mark Kiszla writes what "should have been one of the happiest nights of the regular season turned into one of the worst debacles" in Avalanche history. Kizla: "Traffic snarls, concession-line snafus and a postgame death marred the Avs' outdoor game." The POST's Mike Chambers writes the "lack of basic staffing from the parking lots to the hot-dog stand and inability for fans to connect with an Uber/Lyft for a ride home ruined an already challenging event." Kiszla writes the NHL "lured unsuspecting fans into a trap," as warnings to "arrive early were far from adequate." Kiszla: "What was the NHL thinking? The league, the AFA, Colorado Springs and the Avs should be embarrassed." Kiszla does not blame Avalanche management for the situation, but writes if the team "cares at all about its fans," it should be "leading the charge to obtain refunds for ticket-buyers who were taken for granted and done wrong by the NHL" (DENVER POST, 2/18).
