The Utah Hockey Club takes on the LA Kings at the Crytpto.com Arena on Saturday evening. The two clubs have speed bumps of late with the Hockey Club dropping two straight since going 4-1-1 in the first six games.
For the Hockey Club, it’s been a challenge getting the puck in the back of the next. They have scored three goals in their last three games, including a 4-0 blanking at the hands of the Ottawa Senators.
Last time out, the Hockey Club got schooled by the much more experienced Colorado Avalanche. The 5-1 defeat stung but served as a lesson of what more experienced teams can do to control the pace of the game and score goals.
So, let’s take a look at three key points heading into Saturday night’s tilt between the Utah Hockey Club and the LA Kings.
3 key points for the Utah Hockey Club ahead of their matchup with the LA Kings
Maveric Lamoureux will suit up for the Hockey Club
Lamoureux made his NHL debut against the Colorado Avalanche last Thursday night. He is expected to be in the lineup again on Saturday against the Kings. Lamoureux had an especially impressive debut, playing well in a role thrust upon due more to necessity than opportunity.
Fans should expect to see Lamoureux on the second pairing with Ian Cole as the Hockey Club looks to navigate injuries to Sean Durzi and John Marino.
Ingram to get the call
Connor Ingram should be back in the crease after Karel Vejmelka got the call against the Avs. Vejmelka gave up a five-spot in the game versus Colorado. So, Ingram will look to keep the Kings in check.
It’s worth pointing out that Ingram has played much better than most fans would suppose. He’s got four wins so far this season with a 3.82% and a .861 SV%. While those numbers don’t leap off the screen, they don’t do justice to the fact that Ingram has kept the Hockey Club in every game he’s played.
The numbers are somewhat inflated due to a number of high-scoring games the Hockey Club has won such as the 6-5 OT win over the New York Rangers.
The offense needs to get going
As mentioned earlier, the offense has struggled of late. The main reason lies in teams figuring out how to stop the high-octane Utah attack. So, the Hockey Club will need to focus on fundamentals such as winning puck battles, playing hard along the boards, and avoiding costly turnovers.
Since most teams are now trapping the Hockey Club in the neutral zone, speedsters like Dylan Guenther and Clayton Keller will need to transition quickly through the neutral zone, especially during line changes.
Since the Kings aren’t a particularly hard-checking team, the Utah Hockey Club should have an opportunity to flex its muscles. Fans should expect a solid offensive output from Guenther, Keller, and company.