LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A Vegas Golden Knights fan says he was sucker-punched by a stranger after the game in Dallas on Wednesday night, leaving him with extensive injuries to his face and jaw.

Now, he’s on a mission to find the person who caused him all this pain.

Golden Knights fan searching for man who punched him, sent him to hospital after Dallas game (fox5vegas.com)

VGK fan Jason Bowen says he grabbed a drink with his fiancé after the game, and they were waiting for an Uber outside American Airlines Center—both wearing VGK gear—when some words were exchanged with a few Dallas fans.

Then, he says a stranger came up from behind and hit him in the face, sending him to the pavement—and to the hospital.

“While they were talking to me in my face, this guy came out of nowhere and just clobbered me. That was it,” he said.

Jason thinks this aggression may have stemmed from the growing rivalry between the Knights and Stars.

Last year, during Game 3 of the Western Conference Final in Dallas, some rowdy Stars fans threw bottles on the ice in the final seconds of the second period, as the Knights led 4-0. The Stars later apologized for the actions of their fans.

Now, the teams are facing off in the playoffs once again.

“I do know the Vegas Knights got a big rivalry now, and the whole thing with Stone going back and forth, so I do think that Dallas fans probably don’t like the Knights as much,” said Jason. “I don’t know if that contributed to it, or if they were just angry.”

Jason says the group ran away before police arrived. So, he posted in a Dallas Stars fan group on Facebook, asking for help tracking down the person who punched him.

He said the response has been positive—Stars fans saying they don’t want this one violent person representing their fan base.

“I have a lot of friends who are Dallas Stars fans. They’re good people. I have some of them that are helping me out quite a bit trying to find who this is. So, I got on there and it kind of went viral from there. Everybody’s been trying to locate who this guy is,” he said.

The VGK’s assistant equipment manager even heard about the attack and reached out to Jason personally, wishing him well. He says the team is also sending him an autographed Marchessault hockey stick and other VGK merch for the dedicated fan.

Dallas police confirmed that they responded to the injury call around 1 a.m. Thursday, a few hours after the game. However, police did not confirm if they’re searching for a suspect.

FOX5 put in a request for the full police report for this incident, but we’re still waiting for that to be processed.

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Tom Dundon is chairman and managing partner of Dallas’ Dundon Capital Partners and owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. He’s also one of the owners of the PPA Pickleball Tour, which recently merged with MLP by Margaritaville. [Photo: Carolina Hurricanes]

Tom Dundon
Owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes
.…The Hurricanes fit both of Dundon’s criteria, says Sports Business Journal.

Dundon, the chairman and managing partner of Dallas-based Dundon Capital, became the majority owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes in 2017, three years after he took Dallas-based auto loan giant Santander Consumer USA public with an IPO that raised $1.8 billion. He’s also a co-owner of the PPA Pickleball Tour—which merged in March with Austin-based MLP by Margaritaville—and an investor in Pickleball.com. 

So you’d think he loves to watch his players in action. But that’s not the case, he told Sports Business Journal’s Ben McKeown, for one big reason: “The chance you might lose.”

Losing has become less of a factor for the Hurricanes since he bought them, though (they’re currently leading the New York Islanders 3-1 in the Stanley Cup playoffs). The SBJ’s profile of Dundon credits a lot of that success to the billionaire’s “calculating nature” as a “super competitive” owner who does “whatever it takes to win.”

Now Dundon is stepping up to the plate for something else, the SBJ reports: potentially being a lead investor for a group that wants to bring a Major League Baseball team to North Carolina.

You can read the SBJ story on Dundon here.

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.

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The Dallas Cowboys 2024 draft saw them prioritize rebuilding their offensive line while completely passing on their other big need, running back.

That seems to point toward them signing Ezekiel Elliott in the next few days as they retool the team that won a division championship last season but then flopped in the playoffs.

Dallas will need several members of this draft class to plug into starting roles next season. Did the Cowboys draft well enough to do that?

Here is the class:

Here are some grades from around the net, and they are all over the place.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter: A-

“Gaining a third-round pick in a move down the board and still landing a starting tackle made for a successful Thursday night for Dallas. Kneeland and Beebe should prove to be excellent values, while Liufau will be a solid addition to the middle of the Cowboys’ defense. The Notre Dame ‘backer was picked a bit early for my taste, though.”

ESPN’s Mel Kiper: B-

“Not bad. The Cowboys were able to trade down five spots in Round 1, pick up an extra third-rounder and still get their guy. Tyler Guyton (29) is going to get a chance to be their starter at left tackle, and from what I see on tape, I think he can make the move over from the right side. He has special ability as a pass-protector and can get to the second level in a hurry in the run game.”

Bleacher report: B-

“Give the Dallas Cowboys credit for trading back in the first round, getting an extra Day 2 pick in the process and still filling a vital need. Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton may need some time to develop, but he has the potential to become Tyron Smith’s long-term replacement at left tackle.”

Fox Sports: B

“For a team that had so many holes to fill after they did nothing in free agency, the Cowboys made some curious choices. They did a great job plugging two key holes on the O-line (Oklahoma LT Tyler Guyton in Round 1 and Kansas State C Cooper Beebe in Round 2). But no running back? No receiver until Round 6? Instead, in Round 2, they took Western Michigan edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland, who could be terrific in 2025, but might not be a huge help now, when they’re supposedly “all-in.”

CBS Sports Chip Trepasso: C

“I, personally, am not sure what the Cowboys are doing. Ok, well I do know they stood by their word and attempted to rebuild the offensive line. I commend that. I loved Beebe in Round 2 and particularly Thomas in Round 7. Guyton is very much a project who doesn’t quite play to his workout. Kneeland is another project-y type who never came close to dominating in the MAC.”

The Ringer: A-

“The Cowboys ate their vegetables in this draft, grabbing a trio of tough and physical trench players with their first three picks. Dallas added a highly athletic offensive tackle in the first round in Tyler Guyton, who’s raw but moves exceptionally well and could emerge as their future blindside stalwart. I loved the Marshawn Kneeland pick; he’s an explosive, long-levered pass rusher with great size and a solid repertoire of pass-rush moves and will complement Micah Parsons well on that defensive front.”

Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.