The Utah Hockey Club put on a penalty kill clinic against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday, but it can’t take too much time to enjoy it. Its next challenge is a big one: the Vegas Golden Knights.
Utah HC fell 4-3 in overtime to the Golden Knights on Nov. 2. As has been the case in most of UHC’s recent games, its downfall was largely due to an inability to get pucks to the net. If it can correct that on Friday, it stand a much better chance.
Utah Hockey Club’s key to the game
A trend has emerged in recent weeks: opposing defensemen are almost always involved in the goals Utah HC allows. In the last 13 goals against (dating back to its last meeting with the Golden Knights), nine of them have either been scored or assisted upon by defensemen.
Why is that?
When the opposing team has the puck in Utah’s zone, the Utah forwards tend to block passing lanes but not shooting lanes because it won’t fully commit to the puck carrier. This allows the opposing defensemen space to shoot — sometimes resulting in goals and other times resulting in juicy rebounds.
How can Utah correct this — at least at even strength? It can take a page out of the Hurricanes’ book and lean a little more toward the man-on-man style of defense.
Man-on-man is tricky to master, and Utah shouldn’t switch completely to that system. But it would go a long way to allow guys to commit to the puck carrier a little more in the offensive zone. It would prevent shots against and force them to make plays.
Players to watch
Noah Hanifin scored a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights when they hosted Utah HC earlier this month, so keep an eye on him on Friday.
Additionally, Jack Eichel is tied for third place in the NHL in points this year, and Mark Stone is tied for 13th. The Golden Knights have scored the third-most goals of any team this year and those two are the biggest reasons for that.
Stone might be aptly compared to a fine wine: He keeps getting better with age. Through 13 games, the 32-year-old is on pace for 132 points, which would be more than double his current career high of 64.
Jerseys, Archie and military appreciation
This is an exciting game for Utah HC fans off the ice, too, for three reasons:
- Utah HC jerseys will be available for purchase for the first time.
- Archie, the team dog, will make his Utah HC debut.
- It’s Military Appreciation Night.
The word around the rink is that the jerseys will sell out quickly. The team store doors open at 8 a.m. for season ticket holders and noon for the general public, so get there quickly if you want to buy one. They will also be available on the NHL website starting at 8 a.m., but those won’t include the inaugural season patches.
Archie — undoubtedly the most adorable member of the team — will make appearances at games throughout the season. Being in loud, crowded places from a young age is an integral part of his development as a service dog, and if there’s anywhere in Salt Lake City that’s loud and crowded, it’s the Delta Center.
Military Appreciation Night will honor those who have served in the military. It started with the “22 in 22 Challenge” and the introduction of Archie, who will eventually go to a veteran or first responder. The team has not released details on specific initiatives for Friday.
It’s also worth noting that it’s the Golden Knights’ dads’ trip. The fathers of the players accompanied the team to Anaheim on Wednesday and they’ll continue on to Salt Lake City on Friday. The team impressed their dads with a 3-2 win on Wednesday.