Fans enjoy PreGame before Avalanche-Kings play in Stadium Series

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --It was perfect hockey weather and a unique setting at Truly Hard Seltzer NHL PreGame outside Falcon Stadium, the site of the 2020 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series between the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

With sunny skies, no precipitation, temperatures in the mid-30s and a scenic mountain range in the backdrop, the crowd was excited to soak in the NHL's latest outdoor hockey fan festival, which was open to the public at Falcon Alley of the United States Air Force Academy.
"It's an authentic hockey experience with it being cold and actually having it at a college venue, not a big, big venue, so it gets the Academy's] name out there, and it's really cool to see." said Megan Mergl, 30, from Denver.
***[RELATED: [2020 NHL Stadium Series coverage]
There was a wide assortment of fan activities and sponsorship activations, as well as interactive games, including bubble hockey and various skill contests. There was also a historical exhibit for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Games and a four-hour window for fans to take pictures with the Stanley Cup.
"We got to the Stanley Cup first -- beat the line," said Sean Mergl, 28, from Denver. "We got here right when it opened, so that's always cool. First time taking a picture with it; we got up close and personal this time. That was fun to do."
AUCTION: Game-worn Stadium Series jerseys*
Simon Lee, 34, from New Jersey, traveled across the country to attend NHL PreGame. He and the Mergl family had also attended the NHL Stadium Series game between the Avalanche and the Detroit Red Wings at Coors Field in Denver in 2016. Lee said his group has attended numerous Avalanche games, including the outdoor game, but they are especially thrilled to experience the fresh environment in Colorado Springs.
"You can't really beat the scenery," Lee said. "You got mountains in the background here, and it's actually cold this time instead of being in the 60s or 70s last time [in Denver]."

The NHL PreGame also included two live musical performances, a soaring aerial demonstration from the Air Force Academy's 94th Flying Training Squadron and a flyover of four F-35s from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.
Though the crowd was dominated by Avalanche blue and maroon, there was no shortage of Kings jerseys. Brett and Robin Pastor, along with their daughter, Dylan, 21, flew in from Burbank, California, on Thursday and were enjoying the cool temperatures.
"It's awesome, it's been a thrill so far," Brett Pastor, 52, said. "Some snow would be nice, but we love it."

The Pastors, who say they have been Kings fans their whole lives, are season-ticket holders. This is the third Kings outdoor game they have attended after watching Los Angeles play the Anaheim Ducks in the 2014 Stadium Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and visit the San Jose Sharks at the 2015 Stadium Series at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
"The weather [at this game] is the big difference," Robin Pastor, 50, said.
They said the special outdoor game is just what the Kings, who are in last place in the Western Conference, and their fans need.
"It's great for us and them," Brett Pastor said.
NHL.com Editor-in-Chief Bill Price contributed to this report