SALT LAKE CITY – During a night of many firsts, the Utah Hockey Club put on a show during its inaugural home opener to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-2. With loads of production from the team’s top forwards, including Dylan Guenther, who netted the first goal in franchise history, the club got off to a fast start with a victory in their new home.
While the team formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes looked good in most areas in their season opener, there were obvious issues in their own zone with trying to clear the puck.
At times, skaters struggled to make the right passes, failed to put enough on it to get it out or simply did not look where they were sending it. That gave the Blackhawks extra opportunities and nearly cost Utah late in the game, which forced goaltender Connor Ingram to make some phenomenal bail-out saves.
“I think that’s what this team needs to learn now,” Ingram said. “Learn to win games and close them out so. I think that’s a good learning step for us. Obviously, there’s a couple chances that didn’t go our way there. But that’s learning, and I think you’ll take that. You take the two points out of it, you learn from it and you move on.”
However, it is important to recognize that half of the defensemen were playing their first regular season game with team. With time, they should be able to adjust and clean up those mistakes.
Dylan Guenther scores first goal in Utah Hockey Club history
It was business per usual for the Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther and Jack McBain line as they orchestrated some of the best chances and offensive zone possessions that Utah had all night.
Guenther, the Coyotes’ ninth overall pick in 2021 who signed an eight-year contract extension this offseason, picked up where he left off during the preseason and found the back of the net to record the first goal in franchise history.
After a beautifully orchestrated breakout from their own zone, Cooley dumped it off to Michael Kesselring, who fed Guenther near the slot, and he buried it on a quick one-timer.
That’s the type of execution the club wants to see from that line. Creativity and speed from Cooley, crashing the net, elite positioning from Guenther and goals.
“We have a little bit of everything on that line,” Cooley said. “We’ve got speed, we’ve got a guy that can shoot the puck. Obviously with McBain he can create space for us. He’s always in front of the net and when you have a guy always in the net it creates more room for shooting and seeing passes.”
McBain also got involved later in the first period as the trio was able to set up inside the Blackhawks zone and create another dangerous opportunity. After some more patience, Cooley fired one on net that McBain tipped off the crossbar after battling for a great position in front of the net.
Don’t forget about the vets
In addition to their young guns, the Utah Hockey Club’s veterans were busy against Chicago.
Forwards Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz along with Mikhail Sergachev and Sean Durzi on the blue line is constructed to simply create problems for opposing teams.
A season ago, Keller and Schmaltz unsurprisingly led the team in overall points. Keller’s awareness, quickness, playmaking and wicked shot are what make him a four time All-Star and are also what helped him get on the scoring sheet against Chicago.
As for the rest of the group, their abilities we’re on display when Hayton tipped in a blast from Sergachev during the second period. With more suffocating pressure, the group worked the puck well throughout the offensive zone, which allowed Sergachev to tee one up from the point. Hayton made sure to get a stick on it.
When that top line can set up inside the offensive zone, opposing teams struggle to keep up and scoring opportunities are aplenty.
“We talked a lot out there throughout the game, looking for different plays, and it’s only going to get better,” Keller said. “It’s good to build some chemistry. We always had a guy at the net, we were making the right place and not forcing it. So that’s just a glimpse of what’s to come.”
This story originally appeared on KSLSports.com.