Last night during the 2nd intermission, the game between the Golden Knights and Calgary Flames was delayed for more than half an hour due to an issue with the ice. It was confusing for not only the fans watching but also the players who said they were ready to come out for the 3rd period, but were then told to turn around.
What actually happened wasn’t anything that occurred while the game was taking place, nor was it a mistake by the crew operating the Zambonis. Instead, it was an unfortunate product of the circumstances surrounding all that’s happening at T-Mobile Arena this month.
To begin explaining this, it’s important to first understand how the graphics under the ice are placed so everyone in the rink and on television can see them. For the solid colors, such as the blue lines, the goal crease, and the faceoff circles, they are painted onto the concrete that lies below the ice. For all of the more complex items, such as the center logo, the center red line, and each of the advertisement logos, they are printed on vinyl and placed in their respective areas under the ice.
Once they are all laid properly, the rink is flooded with a thin layer of water and then frozen. This happens over and over again until the ice builds up to be around an inch and three-quarters thick. Of course, ice is clear, thus the graphics below the ice are easy for everyone to see.
Then, when each period ends, the Zambonis drive onto the ice to make two laps. First, a series of blades cuts the ice so the surface returns to being flat. Then, they drop a layer of water, which quickly freezes, on top of the now flat surface to build the ice back up to the correct thickness.
Ok, so, now fast forward to last night.
When the Zamboni drove over the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) logo, the blade that flattens the surface caught a piece of the vinyl the logo is printed on. It’s pretty clear to see by the little slit in the V. However, you’re probably asking yourself, how did the blade cut through 1.75” of ice to catch the logo?
