Utah HC Finally Returns Home
Utah Hockey Club General Manager, Bill Armstrong, told the media recently that the newest NHL team was going to surprise people on a nightly basis.
Sometimes that surprise may be in an impressive fashion, other times fans may be shocked at how underwhelming they appear.
Of course, that’s paraphrasing as the statement read like this:
A team as youthful as Utah is going to provide big time moments, exciting plays and electric passion on the ice, making fans think they are way ahead of schedule in terms of competing for the vaunted Stanley Cup.
Take for example, a 3-0 start to the inaugural season including two overtime clutch victories in New York, both over the Islanders and Rangers.
They will also have maddening moments were the team looks outgunned, outpaced and undone by more experienced foes.
Take for example, finding themselves in the midst of a two game slide dropping to the New Jersey Devils and the Anaheim Ducks.
Utah’s 3-1-1 record is plenty telling of how fans should view this team and echo the words of Armstrong.
Like the 3 in the win column, there is more good than bad.
The talent is apparent, the skill is on full display and the competitiveness has been evident every night they've taken the ice.
This is clear as even one of the losses, the one in Anaheim, was an overtime scrap that still netted Utah a point in the standings.
But like the one in the loss column and the one in the overtime loss column, being youthful and exciting doesn’t always translate to success.
There will be losses, disappointments and struggles to the point where you very well may mutter “oh, they’re young.”
Especially when paying close attention to the defense at times.
Utah fans are in it for the ups and downs, they've had plenty of experience with the Jazz, Utes, Cougars and so on.
Whether Utah ends up being that trendy sleeper playoff pick, hanging at the top of the Central division or grinding through another year of rebuild, fans are happy to finally be experiencing NHL hockey up close and personal.
Unfortunately most of the ups and downs of the young season have been away from the mountains of Salt Lake City as Utah has played 4 of their 5 games on the road.
For fans eager to see the youngsters get another go at a win in person, the time has finally arrived in which Utah lays the ice back down at the Delta Center.
The Hockey Club’s second regular season home game ever takes place this Saturday the 19th with a 7:00 start time as they welcome in the Boston Bruins.
Boston is 3-2 on the season coming off a win against the struggling Colorado Avalanche.
Don’t let the two game slide fool you, this team is worth showing up for, supporting and watching each and every night.
You can think playoffs if they win, you can blame youth if they lose and either way your going to have a good time.
And those good times get better when they return back to the Delta Center for the first time in 11 days.