It’s Black History Month and Los Angeles Kings prospect Akil Thomas decked out his skates to celebrate Black Hockey History.
He debuted the skates with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, in last night’s 2-1 win over the Colorado Eagles. The skates feature a word cloud design with words “respect,” “equality,” “inclusion,” and “BLM,” as well as slogans like “a movement, not a moment,” and “make the impossible possible.” The skates also honor Willie O’Ree, who became the NHL’s first Black player when he debuted on January 18, 1958 with the Boston Bruins.
Last night, as part of Reign game, our Akil Thomas wearing Black History Skates. pic.twitter.com/9xjRQR5rNS
— LAKingsPR (@LAKingsPR) February 18, 2021
Arthur Kaliyev and Blaine Byron scored for the Reign last night on their way to defeating the Eagles.
Read more about the game, and Willie O’Ree’s impact on hockey, linked below.
Kings Things
- Reign win 2-1 over Colorado [Ontario Reign]
- Angeles Analysis – Series 8 vs. Minnesota [LA Kings Insider]
- Kings Care Happenings – Random acts of kindness, outdoor ice, YMCA, upcoming events [LA Kings Insider]
- Kings’ road ahead littered with possibilities, challenges [LA Daily News]
- LA Kings: Matt Roy talks challenges of concussion recovery [Rink Royalty]/
Hockey Things
- Why the NHL’s Lake Tahoe series is a risk — and where the next fanless outdoor games could be played [ESPN+]
- The NHL meets Lake Tahoe: How the league will pull off outdoor games on picturesque golf course [USA Today]
- McDavid scores 500th NHL point with assist for Oilers, equals Crosby [NHL.com]
- Hockey Analytics: Divisional Drive-By [Yahoo! Sports]
- Willie O’Ree’s Legacy Grows As Hockey Pushes To Expand Its Roots [WGBH News]
- Penguins will launch Willie O’Ree Academy to benefit local Black hockey players [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
- Alex Galchenyuk: Can he live down his past in the biggest fishbowl hockey has? [Pension Plan Puppets]/
Scores & Recaps
- Florida Panthers 4, Carolina Hurricanes 3 (OT)
- Ottawa Senators 1, Toronto Maple Leafs 2
- Chicago Blackhawks 2, Detroit Red Wings 0
- Winnipeg Jets 2, Edmonton Oilers 3
- Vancouver Canucks 5, Calgary Flames 1/
Click on a team name to find a recap on their SB Nation site!
On the Schedule
- Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 PT/7 ET on SNO, TSN5, RDS
- New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers, 4 PT/7 ET on TVAS, NBCSP, MSG
- New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins, 4 PT/7 ET on NHLN, ATTSN-PT, MSG+
- Nashville Predators at Columbus Blue Jackets, 4 PT/7 ET on ESPN+, FS-O, FS-TN
- New Jersey Devils at Boston Bruins, 4 PT/7 ET on ESPN+, SN360, SNE, SNW, SNP, NESN, MSG+ 2
- Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals, 4 PT/7 ET on NBCSWA, MSG-B
- San Jose Sharks at St. Louis Blues, 5 PT/8 ET on FS-MW, NBCSCA
- Los Angeles Kings at Arizona Coyotes, 6 PT/9 ET on FS-A, FS-W
- Minnesota Wild at Anaheim Ducks, 7 PT/9 ET on SN, PRIME, FS-SD, FS-N, FS-WI/