Monday will mark two months since the Utah Hockey Club secured a regulation win at home — unless they can do it this weekend.
If there were ever a time to break that streak, it would be now. Utah hosts two floundering teams — the San Jose Sharks and the New York Islanders — on Friday and Saturday.
But, as Utah HC fans have learned, there are no easy wins in the NHL, no matter who the opponent is.
Here’s a look at how Utah Hockey Club matches up against the Sharks.
Previous Utah-San Jose games
Friday night marks the third regular season matchup between Utah and San Jose.
The first, a meeting at the Delta Center on Oct. 28, saw the Sharks mount a near-impossible comeback, scoring three goals in the last five minutes before winning in overtime.
On Dec. 14, Utah HC made the trip to the SAP Center, where they held on to grab a 4-3 win.
Sharks fans have taken a disliking to Utah HC forward Kevin Stenlund, who laid a potentially dangerous hit on star rookie Macklin Celebrini in their last matchup. Celebrini protected himself, but it could have resulted in a nasty injury.
Stenlund was also the player pressuring Celebrini in the preseason when he caught an edge and tumbled into the boards, causing him to miss some time with a hip injury.
Stenlund didn’t cause that injury, but Sharks fans don’t like his track record.
Utah-San Jose game notes
Of note for Utah HC fans is forward Jack McBain, who will play his 200th NHL game on Friday. The achievement comes four days after his 25th birthday.
Friday’s game is the first part of a back-to-back set for the Sharks. They play in Salt Lake City on Friday before hopping back on the plane to host the Minnesota Wild in San Jose on Saturday.
It remains to be seen which goalie will start for the Sharks in Utah, but Hockey Club fans should cross their fingers and hope it’s not Yaroslav Askarov.
The Sharks called 22-year-old Askarov up from the minors just before Christmas break, and his work load has not been easy. Since mid-December, he has faced the New Jersey Devils, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Calgary Flames, the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers. He has managed a .927 save percentage and a record of 2-2-1.
Per Sheng Peng of SJHockeyNow, a few players are dealing with minor injuries but are expected to play on Friday. Fabian Zetterlund, the team’s fourth-highest scorer, has missed some practices and it’s unclear whether he’ll play.
Utah Hockey Club’s keys to victory
The Sharks have allowed the most shots of any team this season and have allowed the second-most goals against. Therefore, Utah’s first key to victory is simple: put shots on net.
Utah’s second key is something they haven’t been able to do virtually all year: play well in the second period. They’re tied with the Detroit Red Wings for the second-worst goal differential in the second period at -16. By comparison, the Sharks are at an even zero in that category. If Utah can stay on course in the second period, they’ll have a good shot at winning.
Lastly, Utah has to play a full 60 minutes. As mentioned, they took their foot off the gas in their first meeting with the Sharks, which resulted in the Sharks’ first win of the season. The Sharks have beaten some good hockey teams this week. They should not be underestimated.
How to watch Utah’s NHL team
The game will be available on Utah HC+ and Utah 16.
Tickets are available for as little as $10 through new ticketing programs, the team announced on Thursday.