The Utah Hockey Club has officially started their first winning streak in franchise history. They opened the season by winning their home opener at the Delta Center against the Chicago Blackhawks, then went on the road and beat the New York Islanders in overtime on Thursday night.
Tonight, Utah will play its second game of a four-game road trip, but there was little travel involved as Utah just had to take a short trip from Long Island to Manhatten for tonight's matchup with the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers will be a formidable opponent for Utah, serving as their first major test of the season. With a strong track record of three consecutive playoff appearances and two Eastern Conference Finals in the last three years, the Rangers are a force to be reckoned with.
This game against the Rangers will be a great measuring stick for Utah. Let's break down everything you need to know before tonight's game.
Game Preview: Utah Hockey Club vs. New York Rangers
The New York Rangers breezed through the 2024 NHL Playoff bracket until they faced the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Rangers dispatched the Washington Capitals in a four-game sweep and defeated an excellent Carolina Hurricanes team in six games.
They then lost to the Florida Panthers in six games. Regardless, this New York team was one of the best in hockey and is expected to be that again.
The Rangers showed their dominance in their first game of the year, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-0,
In past years as the Arizona Coyotes, this team has been dominated by the Rangers. The Rangers have won six straight games against this now-Utah team and have outscored the Coyotes 27-14 over these three years. However, expectations are much higher for this team in Utah this season, and if Utah can compete with this Rangers team tonight, even if they lose a close game, it will show great signs for the future of this team.
I expect the Utah Hockey Club to come out with a similar lineup to the one they had in the first game. Utah's top line of Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz has been dominant—the second line of Jack McBain, Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther.
On the back end, Mikhail Sergachev and Sean Durzi have had an elite start to the year, and Juuso Valimaki has been dominant in the defensive end, leading Utah in takeaways. If there are any changes to the lineup, I expect them to be small and exclusive to the bottom six forwards. Coach Andre Tourigny may feel he needs more size against this physical New York team and get Liam O'Brien back in the lineup, or he may want to get his first look at Kailer Yamamoto in the regular season, or he may ride with Michael Carcone again, who had an impressive first game with the team.
Utah Hockey Club vs. New York Rangers - Projected Starting Goalies
Utah Hockey Club - Connor Ingram
Despite what the stats say, Connor Ingram has been phenomenal in his first two starts of the season. Coming into this game, Ingram only has a .894 save percentage, allowing 0.14 goals above expected.
However, he has made multiple highlight reel saves and has given Utah timely saves when needed to keep them in these two games. If Utah can work on limiting high-danger chances and tying up sticks in front of the net to take away deflection goals, I expect a massive spike in Ingram's stats as he has saved 28 of 29 low and medium-danger shots this season.
New York Rangers - Igor Sheshterkin
For those who don't know, Sheshterkin has been one of the best goalies in the NHL for years. Over the past three seasons, Shesterkin ranks first in goals saved above expected and second in save percentage among qualified goalies (1000 minutes over the last three years).
Shesterkin also loves playing at home in the garden; over these three years, he has a 60-24-7 record, a 2.31 goals-against average, and a .922 save percentage. If Utah's offence can solve this guy, they can solve any goaltender in the NHL.
Utah is a massive underdog coming into this game, with many sportsbook oddsmakers only giving the Utah Hockey Club a 35% chance to win. With the way Utah has been playing, I like their chances of winning more than that, but the coaching staff and players will be able to take a moral victory from this one if they lose a one-goal game.