October 6, 2017
Las Vegas, NV
The University of Utah Skatin’ Utes continue their seven-game road trip this weekend as they head down south to take on UNLV in a pair of games in Las Vegas Friday and Saturday.
The weekend will be more than just about the game of hockey, as the city of Las Vegas continues to move forward after last weekend’s shooting. One of the victims in last Sunday’s attack was UNLV assistant coach Nick Robone, who was shot in the chest during the massacre. Doctors were able to remove the bullet and fragments form his body and he is expected to recover.
The Skatin’ Rebels will be holding a fundraiser during the games this weekend, selling t-shirts to help Nick and his family with medical expenses. Utah Hockey would like to once again send our thoughts and prayers to Nick and his family, the UNLV hockey team, all the victims and their families, and the entire city of Las Vegas.
On the ice, the weekend’s matchup should be a sight to see as the Utes take on the newest Division 1 team in the UNLV Skatin’ Rebels, who have already made their mark on the ACHA landscape. The Rebels are 3-1 heading into the weekend with two wins over then #11 Arizona State and a split weekend against the 12th ranked Colorado Buffaloes.
Thanks to their three wins over top 25 opponents, the Rebels are ranked 15th in this week’s ACHA Coaches Poll. The Utes have a win over a top 25 opponent as well, beating Colorado State last weekend and will look to extend their five-game winning streak over the Rebels this weekend.
This will be the first meeting between these two schools as Division 1 opponents. The two teams last met back in 2015, with the Utes winning twice in Las Vegas and twice in Salt Lake City.
Both games will be played at City National Arena, the new practice facility for the Vegas Golden Knights NHL franchise on the west side of town. Both games are scheduled to begin at 7:30pm PT and both are scheduled to be broadcasted on UNLV’s YouTube page.
