The 2020 NHL Stadium Series will mark the second regular-season outdoor game for the Avalanche and the third such game for the Kings. The Avalanche hosted the 2016 NHL Stadium Series at Coors Field in Denver, a 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. The Kings hosted the 2014 NHL Stadium Series, a 3-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and travelled to Santa Clara, Calif., for the 2015 NHL Stadium Series at Levi's Stadium, where they defeated the San Jose Sharks 2-1.
The game at Falcon Stadium will mark the second time the NHL has brought the NHL Stadium Series™ to a U.S. Service Academy following the Washington-Toronto matchup at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. in 2018. Standing in the base of the Rampart Range of the Rocky Mountains, Falcon Stadium opened on Sept. 22, 1962, when a then-overflow crowd of 41,350 saw Air Force defeat Colorado State 24-0. The stadium was originally built solely for football, but lacrosse plays all of its home matches in the stadium, which is also the site of the Academy's annual graduation. The 2020 NHL Stadium Series™ will be the first-ever outdoor hockey game held at Falcon Stadium.
The 2020 NHL Stadium Series™ will showcase a host of the top talent in the NHL. The Avalanche are led by 2019 NHL All-Stars Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and captain Gabriel Landeskog. The Kings counter with All-Star defenseman Drew Doughty, captain Anze Kopitar and goaltender Jonathan Quick.
The Avalanche and Kings are both two-time Stanley Cup® champions (COL 1996 and 2001; LAK, 2012 and 2014). The two franchises have met 133 times in the regular-season, with Los Angeles holding a 27-point edge over Colorado/Quebec since the 1979-1980 season (Colorado/Quebec 55-63-15-125, Los Angeles 70-51-12-152). The teams have split a pair of games this season (Nov. 21 -- COL 7, LAK 3; Dec. 31 -- LAK 3, COL 2 (OT)), and have one matchup remaining on Jan. 19, in Colorado. In addition, the Avalanche and Kings have met twice in the Stanley Cup® Playoffs, with Colorado winning both series. The two clubs most recent meeting came in the 2002 Western Conference Quarterfinals, where Colorado defeated Los Angeles in seven games.
Additional details relating to the 2020 NHL Stadium Series™, including ticketing and broadcast information, will be released at a future date. Fans can sign up for news and information on all of the NHL's events at www.NHL.com/events.
