Connor Ingram led the Utah Hockey Club out of the tunnel and onto the ice at the Delta Center for the first time in franchise history Monday night.
With “UTAH” stitched across their chests, the players looped around the rink in front of their new fans, on a sheet of ice made just for them. Just five months after the Arizona Coyotes were dissolved and the NHL gifted hockey to Salt Lake, the franchise hosted its first home preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings.
Utah beat the Kings 3-2 in overtime thanks to the game-winning goal from forward Clayton Keller.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club head coach André Tourigny speaks before Utah Hockey Club hosts the Los Angeles Kings, NHL pre-season hockey in Salt Lake City on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024.
“It’s great for us to have the opportunity to play here during the preseason so we see that for the first time and experience that,” head coach André Tourigny said. “It’s really well done, really professional. The setup is great. You can see the smiles of the players right now. I hope they will come back to earth because right now they’re flying high.”
Forward Lawson Crouse got the crowd going, scoring Utah Hockey Club’s first goal at the Delta Center on the power play to give his team a 1-0 lead at 15:03 of the first period. Alex Kerfoot followed it up with another goal on the man advantage before the Kings tied things 2-2 in the second period to ultimately force overtime. Keller scored to secure the 3-2 win 19 seconds into the 3-on-3, five minute period.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club forward Lawson Crouse (67) celebrates a goal as Utah Hockey Club hosts the Los Angeles Kings, NHL pre-season hockey in Salt Lake City on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024.
Following a year of uncertainty around the team’s future in Arizona, Utah HC now has stability from ownership and a new arena to call home. The club will next return to the Delta Center for opening night on Oct. 8 against the Chicago Blackhawks.
It’s safe to say fans are ready for the regular season to start.
“I think that just proves the excitement in the city and the area that there’s a hockey team here now. I think it shows how much support we are going to have throughout the year,” forward Josh Doan said. “We’re all excited.”
