EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — After being named the Kraft Hockeyville USA 2020 winner in August 2020, El Paso will receive the long-awaited National Hockey League (NHL) preseason game on October 3.
According to officials with El Paso Rhinos, the Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes will travel to the Borderland to play an NHL® preseason game at the El Paso County Events Center.
Since winning the contest, the El Paso Rhinos and El Paso Hockey Association have been working with Kraft Heinz, NHL, National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and SDI Marketing to prepare fun, celebratory events during the week leading up to the game.
“We are thrilled to participate in the Kraft Hockeyville game in El Paso,” said Arizona Coyotes President & CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez in a statement. “We are grateful to the NHL, NHLPA, Kraft Heinz and the Dallas Stars for this incredible opportunity and we look forward to interacting with the El Paso community to grow the great game of hockey in Texas.”
“Our organization is proud to represent the great state of Texas in this preseason matchup,” said Dallas Stars President and CEO Brad Alberts in a statement. “The selection of El Paso is a testament to the hard work of numerous individuals and organizations to help sustain and grow the game of hockey in our state. We are thankful to our partners at the NHL, NHLPA, Kraft Heinz and the Arizona Coyotes for helping make possible this one-of-a-kind game.”
The event series will kick off with a food donation on September 29 as part of the “Kraft Hockeyville Cares” initiative; from September 15 to September 28, the Rhinos and the EPHA are asking for canned and non-perishable food donations. All items can be dropped off at the rink (4100 East Paisano) between 9 am and 6 pm.
Club officials add that Kraft Heinz will also supplement the donation to ensure that more families in the greater El Paso area have access to food.
Then on Wednesday, September 29 at 11 am, El Paso Rhinos players will deliver the donations to the El
Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank.
On Thursday, September 30, the Stanley Cup will make stops at various locations across the Sun City. The Stanley Cup will be at the Kraft Hockeyville USA Community Celebration at San Jacinto Plaza (114 W Mills Ave) from 4 pm to 7 pm.
El Pasoans will be able to take pictures with the Stanley Cup, NHL Alumni, and El Paso Rhinos players while
enjoying music from local bands and tasty food from some of El Paso’s most well-known food trucks.
Kraft Heinz will also offer food sampling while the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile will also make an appearance. The family-friendly event is free to attend.
The “Kraft Hockeyville Cares” initiative will continue Saturday, October 2, when mascots from the Dallas Stars, the Arizona Coyotes and the El Paso Rhinos join Rhino players in visiting children at the Boys and Girls Club, the El Paso Children’s Hospital, the Child Crisis Center, and Reynolds Home.
For the first time in El Paso history, two NHL® teams will face off at the El Paso County Events Center on Oct. 3 at 7 pm MT. Tickets to the NHL® preseason game will be distributed by the El Paso Local Organizing Committee.
Timing for all events is subject to change, visit the El Paso Rhinos Hockey Facebook page for more details.
For our previous coverage of the Rhinos, click here.
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