L.A. Blades Play Calgary in Home Opener Tuesday

The L.A. Blades of 12-team Roller Hockey International make their Forum debut Tuesday night against the Calgary Rad’z.

Game time is 7:30.

The Blades opened their season Thursday at Oakland and will play at Vancouver on Saturday.

Roller hockey rules are similar to ice hockey except there are five players on each side instead of six and the blue line and nearly all offsides are eliminated.

The biggest names in the league are Oakland Skates Coach Garry Unger, a former NHL player, Anaheim Bull Frogs Coach Chris McSorley, the brother of the Kings’ Marty McSorley and Vancouver VooDoo Coach Dave (Tiger) Williams, a former King and the NHL’s all-time penalty minutes leader.

Blades’ players include Ralph Barahona, who played in the Boston Bruin organization, and Steve Bogoyevac, who attended the Kings training camp last year.

The Blades have six more games at the Forum--July 10, 15, 28 and Aug. 5 and 15.

There have been two other L.A. franchises that have used the name Blades and both made their home at the Sports Arena. The first played from 1961 to 1967 in the Western Hockey League, folding after the Kings were formed.

The second Blades were members of the Pacific Hockey League. They played their home opener Dec. 14, 1978, and folded Jan. 18, 1979, after averaging fewer than 500 fans a game. The team also canceled three games because of financial difficulties.