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Watch: A look at the making of the NHL Outdoors rink in Lake Tahoe

Photo courtesy of Nick Cotsonika, NHL.com

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. (KDVR) — The Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights will take to the ice on the 18th hole of the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course on Saturday.

The puck drops at 1 p.m. MDT. The teams are split between the last two matchups in Las Vegas.

The Avs were held scoreless on Sunday in a 1-0 loss after returning from COVID protocol hiatus. Tuesday night’s matchup was a different story with a game-winner from Nazem Kadri in the last minute of the 3-2 win.

The last time the team took to the open winter air was the Stadium Series at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs a year ago. The first outdoor game for the Avs was at Coors Field in 2016 vs. the Detroit Red Wings.

“I think it’s kind of a negative but it’s kind of cool,” Avs defenseman Bowen Byram said. “There will be no fans there so it will truly just feel like an outdoor game, like playing with your buddies, whatever. I think it’ll make it feel really authentic.”

Avs forward Nathan MacKinnon will participate in the One Million Dollar Hole-in-One Challenge in the first intermission. MacKinnon will attempt to make the shot from the same spot Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic did in the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship at Lake Tahoe in 2011.

If MacKinnon makes the shot, the NHL will donate $1 million to the NHL/NHLPA Learn to Play program.

Opening ceremonies include frontline healthcare workers presenting the puck delivered by boat to officials for the game and a helicopter flyover. A live musical premiere of Green Day’s newest song will take place during the second intermission.