The Utah Hockey Club made franchise history on Tuesday night, clinching their first-ever victory in a thrilling season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The team led from start to finish en route to a 5-2 victory inside the Delta Center in front of a sellout crowd of 11,131.
The Utah Hockey club received two goals from Dylan Guenther in the inaugural win. Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Lawson Crouse also put shots into the back of the net for the NHL’s newest hockey franchise.
Adding to the excitement, Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markanen skated out the ceremonial puck and handed it to Utah team owner Ryan Smith. Ashley Smith then dropped the pick in front of Keller and Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno, setting the stage for the highly anticipated showdown.
“This is probably the most excited I’ve ever been to play a hockey game,” Utah forward Logan Cooley said after the game. Coming to the rink today, even though it’s morning skate, you still feel like you’re getting chills.”
The NHL’s newest franchise surrounded its home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks with a fan celebration leading up to the puck drop and beyond. An outdoor concert featuring country music artist Shaboozey highlighted the pregame celebration.
The festivities culminated in an outdoor watch party for fans who did not have tickets to enter the Delta Center. Two giant screens aired the ESPN broadcast.
“We’re just trying to have a fun event that everybody in the community is going to remember,” Ryan Smith said. “It’s not more complicated than that. This is a moment that speaks for itself. Everyone knows it’s coming. We get to do it once.”
The atmosphere inside and outside the arena was electric through the night, mirroring the experience already common at Utah Jazz playoff games.
Utah has sold approximately 8,500 full-season-ticket equivalents. 34,000 people initially put down a deposit for tickets. The club is already tracking toward being among the top 20 NHL clubs for sponsorship and ticket revenue this season.
With strong community support, all signs point to hockey becoming the next big thing in the Beehive State. Now it’s a race between the Utah Jazz and The Utah Hockey Club to see who brings home the championship first.
The Utah Hockey Club was born from the end of the Arizona Coyotes. The franchise acquired players, coaches and draft picks from the franchise in lieu of an expansion draft.
