STAPLES Center gets ready for LA Kings season

With hockey season just around corner, ice preparations have begun.

And turning a blank concrete slab into an ice rink appears to include some old-school methods, such as markers, paint, rulers and stencils.

Early Monday morning, operation staff at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles were busy getting the ice rink ready for the upcoming 2015-16 LA Kings season.

Footage from the STAPLES Center was posted on YouTube, giving us a glimpse into the process of building an official ice hockey rink.

“To make ice for the NHL [National Hockey League] season, we use approximately 10,000 gallons of water within a three-day period,” operation manager, George Rios, told LAKings.com.

From the white-layered base to the hand-made logos, it takes several days to complete.

“We spray clear water for two days, just building the thickness of the ice. It has to come up to one-inch to one-inches-and-a-half to reach NHL regulations,” Rios told LAKings.com. “We only make ice once a year and that same ice stays throughout the whole season.”

The LA Kings’ mascot, Bailey, made the event special by burying three lucky pennies into the center of the ice before covering it up with paint.

Some lucky fans also got the chance to write personal messages before the blue-line was painted, wishing their team luck in the upcoming season.

The LA Kings won the Stanley Cup during the 2013-14 season but missed the playoffs last season.

Perhaps the lucky pennies will make a difference for them this year. Good luck, Kings!