Sports
Chicken fingers or gravy? Food-filled Zambonis are popular collectibles in Las Vegas
The Zamboni is an institution in hockey.
Anyone who grew up attending hockey games as a child likely has fond memories of the machine slowly circling the rink, humming along while leaving a pristine, glistening sheet of ice in its wake. Perhaps some even had the honor of riding shotgun, listening to the 1990 song “(I Wanna Drive the) Zamboni” by the Gear Daddies.
For those who played hockey at any level, the Zamboni has served as a universal clock for the start of the game. You’re in your dressing room lacing up your skates when a teammate walks through the door and says, “The Zam has two turns left,” and suddenly everyone in the room knows exactly how much time they have to finish getting dressed.
The Zamboni is so iconic the actual name for the machine — ice resurfacer — is rarely if ever spoken. Perhaps the only way to make the vehicle more revered by hockey lovers, is to fill it with delicious food.
That’s exactly what the Vegas Golden Knights have done.
The team’s newest promotion is selling small, plastic Zambonis at concession stands inside T-Mobile Arena, filled with chicken fingers and fries.
(Photo courtesy of Vegas Golden Knights)
“It was something that would be memorable for all fans, something that is unique to the game of hockey, and something that was just very different from a traditional bucket or cup that would create a lasting experience,” said Kris Knief, the Golden Knights’ vice president of strategy and innovation. “It’s one of the most iconic elements of hockey. It’s not just youth-driven. It’s every demographic across the board.”
The chicken-filled Zamboni costs approximately $30, and the sales are already exceeding the team’s expectations. They sold more than 2,000 units during the first 10 home games.
“We didn’t know if this would be sticky or not, but in the end the sentiment has been fantastic,” Knief said. “We’re getting calls from several different NHL clubs around the league, and Levy (a restaurant and hospitality company that supplies food and beverage for T-Mobile Arena) is looking at other elements of what this concept could be for different venues outside of the traditional core-four sports.”
Kid is obsessed with Zambonis and calls them “momma” which is incredible. Gravy boat is definitely second to chicken finger basket Zamboni. pic.twitter.com/OQsymyOFnp
— Everett Duke (@Everett_Duke) November 20, 2024
The chicken buckets aren’t the only Zamboni-themed promotion for the Golden Knights this season. The team also created a special ticket package for the Nov. 11 game against the Hurricanes that included a Zamboni gravy boat — a promotion that is becoming a popular trend around the NHL.
Vegas’ ticketing department generally orders 500 units for each special collectible giveaway in order to make it rare or exclusive, but Vegas knew the demand for the Zambonis would be much higher than usual.
“We doubled the order size just because we knew it was going to be such a success,” said Amanda Fleming, senior director of group and event suite ticket sales for the Golden Knights.
Fans received the gravy boat as a part of their single-game tickets, and the team also offered season-ticket holders who already have tickets the chance to add the gravy boat on for an additional $45. The gravy boats are currently selling on eBay for around $65, but there haven’t been too many that have made it to the secondary market yet.
“As you would imagine, it was one of our largest add-ons to date,” Fleming said.
The Golden Knights didn’t invent the gravy boat promotion. The Detroit Red Wings have been producing them for years, and ran their promotion this month. Other NHL teams, such as the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, will be doing gravy-boat giveaways. But as with just about everything, Vegas did have to put its own twist on it by painting it in chrome gold.
“The factory pushed back a couple of times just because you can’t microwave that chrome material, or put it in the dishwasher, but we really wanted the look and feel of what is true to the VGK brand that we’ve created,” Fleming explained.
Kitchen tables across the Las Vegas Valley will be glistening with gold Zambonis overflowing with gravy this Thanksgiving. The gleaming, lustrous centerpieces are sure to spark conversation, which is exactly what the team is hoping for.
“Our anticipation is to continue to evolve with more holiday, family talking points,” Fleming said. “We started with the apron (giveaway last season). We have a few more ideas in the mix to continue to bring Golden Knights merchandise to the family setting.”
The creative process is a lengthy one. Fleming says the team begins brainstorming ideas in March for promotions for the following season. That leaves plenty of time for them to work out the licensing and overseas production.
Vegas typically has approximately 20 special ticket packages throughout the season. They held an “Emo Knight” in October with distressed graphic t-shirt giveaways and puck rock music in the arena, and will host “Hello Kitty Knight” in late January.
The minor league AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, have followed suit. They gave team-themed Zamboni gravy boats to the first 5,000 fans in attendance for their game against the Abbotsford Canucks on Nov. 22.
we know what your holiday season needs! 🎁 pic.twitter.com/m8iSR2Yphp
— Henderson Silver Knights (@HSKnights) November 7, 2024
The Zamboni-themed promotions are a universal success, so expect plenty more to come. Whether you need your ice resurfaced, your mashed potatoes smothered, or your chicken fingers kept warm, there’s a Zamboni for that.
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(Top photo courtesy of Vegas Golden Knights)
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Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo made NBA history on Tuesday night.
Adebayo scored 83 points, all while setting league marks for free throws made and attempted in a game for the Miami Heat in a 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards. It is the second-highest scoring game for a player ever, only to Wilt Chamberlain’s famed 100-point game.
“An absolutely surreal night,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the game.
Adebayo started with a 31-point first quarter. He was up to 43 at halftime, 62 by the end of the third quarter. And then came the fourth, when the milestones kept falling despite facing double-, triple- and what once appeared to be a quadruple-team from a Wizards defense that kept sending him to the foul line.
He finished 20 of 43 from the field, 36 of 43 from the foul line, 7 for 22 from 3-point range.
After the game, he was seen in tears while he hugged his mother, Marilyn Blount, before leaving the floor after the game.
“Welp won’t have the highest career high in the house anymore,” Adebayo’s girlfriend, four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, wrote on social media, “but at least it gives me something to go after.”
MAGIC’S ANTHONY BLACK MAKES INCREDIBLE DUNK OVER FOUR DEFENDERS IN HISTORIC NBA GAME
Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat celebrates during the fourth quarter of the game against the Washington Wizards at Kaseya Center on March 10, 2026, in Miami, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The NBA’s previous best this season was 56, by Nikola Jokic for Denver against Minnesota on Christmas night. The last player to have 62 points through three quarters: one of Adebayo’s basketball heroes, Kobe Bryant, who had exactly that many through three quarters for the Los Angeles Lakers against Dallas on Dec. 20, 2005.
He wound up passing Bryant for single-game scoring as well. Bryant’s career-best was 81 — a game that was the second-best on the NBA scoring list for two decades.
Adebayo scored 31 points in the opening quarter against the Wizards, breaking the Heat record for points in any quarter — and tying the team record for points in a first half before the second quarter even started.
He finished the first half with 43 points, a team record for any half and two points better than his previous career high — for a full game, that is — of 41, set Jan. 23, 2021, against Brooklyn.
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Adebayo’s season high entering Tuesday was 32. He matched that with a free throw with 5:53 left in the second quarter, breaking the Heat first-half scoring record.
Adebayo’s 43-point first half was the NBA’s second-best in at least the last 30 seasons — going back to the start of the digital play-by-play era that began in the 1996-97 season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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BOSTON — Charlie McAvoy scored 39 seconds into overtime and Jeremy Swayman stopped 14 shots on Tuesday night to earn the Boston Bruins their 13th straight victory at home, 2-1 over the Kings.
Mason Lohrei scored midway through the third period to break a scoreless tie. But the Kings tied it five minutes later when Drew Doughty’s shot from the blue line deflected off the heel of Bruins forward Elias Lindholm and into the net.
It was the seventh straight time the teams had gone to overtime in Boston.
In the overtime, Mark Kastelic blocked a shot in the defensive zone and made a long pass to David Pastrnak, who waited for McAvoy to come into the zone. The Bruins’ defenseman and U.S. Olympian, who went to the locker room at the end of the second period after taking a puck off his mouth, skated in on Darcy Kuemper and went to his backhand for the winner.
Kuemper stopped 21 shots for the Kings, who entered the night one point out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The victory kept Boston in possession of the East’s second wild-card spot.
Swayman tied his career high with his 25th win of the season. The Bruins haven’t lost at the TD Garden since before Christmas.
After the game, Kings forward and future Hall of Famer Anze Kopitar stayed on the ice to shake hands with the Bruins after what is expected to be his last game in Boston.
Sports
Jon Jones requests UFC release after Dana White says legend was ‘never’ considered him for White House card
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Mixed martial arts legend Jon Jones ended his retirement from UFC simply because he wanted a spot on the “Freedom 250” fight card at the White House in June.
But, when UFC CEO Dana White announced the card during UFC 326 this past weekend, Jones wasn’t among the fighters. As a result, he has requested a release from his UFC contract.
White was candid when asked about Jones following the UFC 326 card.
Jon Jones of the United States of America reacts after his TKO victory against Stipe Miocic of the United States of America in the UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16, 2024 in New York City. ((Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images))
“Never, ever, ever, which I told you guys a hundred thousands times, was Jon Jones ever even remotely in my mind to fight at the White House,” White explained, per CBS Sports. “Some guy with Meta Glasses filmed him talking about his hips – that his hips are so bad. And I don’t know if you guys saw that flag football game where he can barely run. Jon Jones retired because of his hips. He’s got arthritis in his hips. Apparently, doctors say he should have a hip replacement.”
White added that “the Jon Jones thing is bulls—,” saying that he texted the fighter’s lawyer saying he would never be on the White House card despite Jones saying he was in negotiations for it.
UFC ANNOUNCES CARD FOR WHITE HOUSE EVENT
The Meta Glasses incident White is referring to came from a viral video, where Jones, unaware he was being filmed, discussed issues with his hips to a fan.
On Monday, Jones composed a thorough response to White’s comments about him and the White House Card. He previously posted and deleted social media explanations, but Monday’s appeared to be his final statement on the matter.
UFC President Dana White speaks after UFC Fight Night at Toyota Center on Feb. 21, 2026. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
“Yes, I have arthritis in my hip and it’s painful, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight,” Jones, who retired a heavyweight champion in 2025, said. “So let me get this straight, if I had accepted the lowball offer, suddenly my hip would be fine and I’d be on the White House card? That doesn’t make sense. I even received stem cell treatment last week to get ready for the White House card, and training camp was scheduled to start today. I was preparing to be ready.
“I understand business deals fall through sometimes, but going out publicly and saying things that aren’t true isn’t right. After everything I’ve given to the UFC, the years, the title defenses, the fights, hearing that I’m ‘done’ is disappointing. Especially when as recently as Friday UFC was calling me trying to get me on that White House card for a much lower number.”
Jones finished his statement by saying he “respectfully” asks to be released from his UFC contract.
Jon Jones enters the ring before facing Stipe Miocic in the UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City, New York. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“No more spins, no more games. Thank you to the real fans who know what’s up,” he wrote.
The UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.
Jones is considered one of the best UFC fighters of all time, owning a 28-1-1 record, which includes his last bout with Stipe Miocic, knocking him out to take the heavyweight title belt. He is also a two-time light heavyweight champion.
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