Stadium Series puck drop brought to Kings-Avalanache by doggo

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 15: The Colorado Avalanche face off against the Los Angels Kings during the 2020 NHL Stadium Series game at Falcon Stadium on February 15, 2020 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 15: The Colorado Avalanche face off against the Los Angels Kings during the 2020 NHL Stadium Series game at Falcon Stadium on February 15, 2020 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The NHL Stadium Series puck drop during Saturday’s Kings-Avalanche game was delivered by a military working dog.

The NHL’s Stadium Series puck drop during the Los Angeles Kings-Colorado Avalanche game in Colorado Springs on Saturday night was carried by a very special delivery boy in a military working dog  named Grizzly.

The Stadium Series puck drop didn’t exactly go quite as planned, leading to a laugh from the crowd assembled at Air Force’s football stadium.

Both teams have a little bit of a presence, as the Avs have a St Bernard mascot named Bernie, while the Kings have Gustl Kopitar as one of the foremost hockey dogs on Dog Twitter.

Los Angeles center Anze Kopitar (Gust’s dad) and Colorado left winger Gabriel Landeskog took the ceremonial faceoff as the respective team captains.

While the Stadium Series puck drop didn’t go quite as planned, military working dogs probably aren’t used to performing such a duty, and could have benefited from asking advice from hockey dogs like Holland the PupOvie the Bulldog or Sir Winston Da Doodle.

The TSN crashing Bulldog also could offer some pointers.

Coming into the nationally-televised matchup on NBC, the Colorado Avalanche have tallied 72 points during the 2019-20 season and a record of 33 wins, 17 losses and six overtime losses, good for second place in the Western Conference Central Division.

The Los Angeles Kings have struggled during the 2019-20 season so far, dwelling in the basement of the West’s Pacific Division with 45 points and a record of 20 wins, 33 losses and five overtime losses.

The Kings got on the board first in the opening period as right winger Tyler Tuffoli tucked the puck into the net, though the Avs tied the game at one goal apiece after defenseman Sam Girard slipped the biscuit past Jonathan Quick late in the second.

Tuffoli scored the go-ahead goal with a minute left in the third period, and then sealed the game with an empty-netter to get the hat trick with four seconds to play.

For more news, analysis and opinion on the LA Kings and Colorado Avalanche, be sure to check out our FanSided Network sister sites LA Sports HubMile High ManiacMile High Sticking, Puck Prose and Rink Royalty.