The second recreation within the books, the second win within the win column for the Utah Hockey Membership as they begin their season 2-0-0. It was one other five-goal recreation for Utah as they started their jap seaboard street journey. It was additionally one other recreation crammed with firsts in franchise historical past. Listed here are some takeaways from the 5-4 time beyond regulation win on Thursday.
Dylan Guenther: Licensed Purpose Scorer
Head coach Andre Tourigny stated that Dylan Guenther is greater than only a objective scorer after the 5-2 win in opposition to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. He additionally talked about it’s not a nasty factor to have the goal-scoring talent set that the ahead has. He had an entire recreation on Thursday. His defensive play was spectacular when it needed to be and he confirmed why Tourigny stated these issues about him.
Nonetheless, what’s extra eye-catching is Guenther’s two targets that he scored in opposition to the Islanders together with the time beyond regulation winner. Each of them had been scored off his deadly shot that beat Petr Mrazek twice the sport earlier than as effectively. He has picked up the place he left off final season with Logan Cooley. The 2 have been dominant within the two video games that Utah has performed to this point.
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Now, together with the document of the primary objective scorer in Utah franchise historical past, Guenther picks up the document of the primary time beyond regulation scorer in Utah franchise historical past. He at present has 4 targets in two NHL video games and leads your complete league in targets and factors. If he continues the tempo, he might choose up one other document: most targets in a single season for Utah.
Josh Doan, who’s one other younger ahead for Utah, additionally scored in what ended up being the tying objective heading into time beyond regulation. Alex Kerfoot was capable of finding the Scottsdale native in a lovely spin-o-rama go that Doan collected and put behind Semyon Varlamov on his backhand. It was a really good play. It was additionally one other one among Utah’s assortment of youth making an early influence within the season.
Particular Groups Good, Penalties Dangerous
Utah’s recreation was fairly good in opposition to the Islanders, particularly when it got here to particular groups. The group thrived on the ability play, scoring on each alternatives they’d. As soon as from Guenther and the opposite time by Lawson Crouse who scored the primary Utah street objective in franchise historical past.
The penalty kill was fairly good as effectively, solely letting the Islanders rating as soon as out of the six alternatives they’d. Nonetheless, the quantity of penalties Utah took wasn’t nice. One was resulting from an unsuccessful problem in opposition to the Islanders’ first objective, which is ok. Nonetheless, a double minor in opposition to Ian Cole and two different penalties within the first alone isn’t nice.
Whereas the penalty kill was implausible on Thursday, that would simply change in opposition to somebody just like the defending Presidents’ Trophy winners: the New York Rangers. Utah must study to remain out of the field extra usually.
Nonetheless, it was a profitable penalty kill and energy play group that Utah iced final evening. Fairly just a few gamers stepped up, particularly Mikhail Sergachev who made quite a lot of spectacular defensive performs along with his stick and ultimately assisted on Barrett Hayton’s objective.
Connor Ingram Places On a Clinic
One of the crucial spectacular gamers of the sport was Connor Ingram who stored Utah within the recreation, particularly through the penalty kill. One in all his saves discovered him out of his internet. With the Islanders approaching, he Superman-dived throughout the crease to save lots of the puck from getting into. It might be a save of the 12 months candidate. In whole, Ingram stopped 21 pictures.
Whereas Ingram’s save share was under .900, he arguably wasn’t dangerous in any respect within the recreation. It was him bailing out Utah from errors that gave his group the win. Karel Vejmelka will probably begin on Saturday in opposition to the Rangers to provide Ingram some relaxation. Nonetheless, the Saskatoon native has achieved an excellent job in internet to this point for Utah and might be the official starter once we get deeper into the season.
Utah is now 2-0-0 to begin their inaugural season, successful each their first house and away video games in franchise historical past. Nonetheless, they’ll have a troublesome time on Saturday once they face off in opposition to the Rangers. The group gained the Presidents’ Trophy final season which is awarded to the group with one of the best common season document. They’re flying excessive with a 1-0-0 document after beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-0 on Wednesday.
