The Utah Hockey Club closes out the calendar year Tuesday with a trip to Edmonton, where they’ll face the Oilers.
The team’s New Year’s resolution? Win more hockey games.
The month of December has been nearly identical for Utah HC and the Oilers. After losing the first game of the month, they both went on long point streaks. But the teams have now lost multiple games in a row.
Tuesday’s game is the second of three meetings between Utah and Edmonton this season. When they met in Salt Lake City in late November, the Oilers left with a 4-3 overtime victory.
While one team is clearly ahead of the other in terms of points and recent playoff success, Utah HC has showed in the first half of this NHL season that they can keep up with the best of them.
They’ll have to be dialed in, but here are a few things the Utah Hockey Club can do to fend off the Edmonton Oilers.
Utah Hockey Club’s keys to victory
Contain the superstars
When the Oilers came to town in November, superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each walked away with a goal and an assist. All three of the Oilers’ regulation goals were scored or assisted by at least one of them.
Utah HC’s first key to victory on Tuesday is to contain those two guys.
“McDavid’s the best player in the world,” Utah associate captain Lawson Crouse said after their last meeting. “He’s got everything: speed, skill, vision, hockey sense. You’ve just got to do your best to be on top of him.”
Kevin Stenlund, who, as a key member of the Florida Panthers’ penalty kill, beat the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final last year, said he doesn’t do anything differently against them.
“For me, it’s nothing special,” he said. “Just try to play your game — don’t focus on who has the puck.”
Manage special teams
Special teams were the difference the last time the two teams met.
The Oilers scored twice in three power play opportunities, while Utah HC was 0 for 1. It’s a small sample size, but improvement in either area would give Utah HC a much better chance of winning.
Overall, both teams are relatively good on the power play and below average on the penalty kill. The Oilers’ 23.7% success rate puts them at 10th in the league, while 21.8% puts Utah HC at 14th. The Oilers are the ninth-worst penalty killing team, and Utah HC is eight spots better.
Goaltending
I won’t bore you with specific numbers, but in almost every significant statistical area, Utah’s goalies are miles above Edmonton’s goalies.
It’s true with save percentage, goals-against average, goals saved above average, high-danger save percentage and low-danger save percentage.
The only exception is medium-danger save percentage, where Jaxson Stauber’s numbers are worse than those of both Oilers goaltenders.
Regardless of which goalie gets the start for the Oilers, it will be imperative for Utah HC to shoot the puck. It’s more likely to go in against the Oilers than almost any other team.
How to watch Utah Hockey Club vs. Edmonton Oilers
It’s back to the usual channels for this game.
Tuesday’s game between the Utah Hockey Club and Edmonton Oilers will be available on Utah 16 and Utah HC+. The puck drops at 7 p.m. MST.