Avalanche-Kings set to face-off in the 2020 NHL Stadium Series at U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium

Kings President and Hockey Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille:
“It is an honor to represent the NHL at this special event in Colorado Springs.  The Air Force Academy has an incredible tradition and we are thrilled to take part in the first hockey game at Falcon Stadium.  We believe our fans will look forward to attending the game and watching the game on TV in what will truly be a very memorable event and moment in LA Kings history.”

Kings All-Star Defenseman Drew Doughty:
“It’s exciting for sure.  I don't know a lot about the Air Force and so I'm excited to maybe go in there early and experience it.  Playing in the game will be really cool.  Might be hard with the altitude and Colorado's a good team so it's going to be a good matchup.  Always excited for outdoor games.”

The National Hockey League announced on January 25, 2019 that the Colorado Avalanche will face-off against the Los Angeles Kings in the 2020 NHL Stadium Series™. 

Earlier this month, the NHL announced that the Colorado Avalanche would host the 2020 NHL Stadium Series™ on February 15, 2020 at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo.; on January 25, 2019 the League announced the Kings as the Avalanche’s opponent for the outdoor game.

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 Kingscounter 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 134 times in the regular-season, with Los Angeles holding a 25-point edge over Colorado/Quebec since the 1979-1980 season (Colorado/Quebec 56-63-15—127, Los Angeles 70-52-12—152). The Avalanche have won two games and lost one to the Kings this season (Nov. 21 -- COL 7, LAK 3; Dec. 31 -- LAK 3, COL 2 (OT); Jan. 19 – COL 7, LAK 1). 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 NHL.com/events.