Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
The first goal scored by the Utah Hockey Club was on their own net.
Luckily for them, it was in a pre-season exhibition, and they won anyway.
Although the stats count for nothing once the regular season arrives, it was an entertaining first pre-season match for Utah as a new NHL franchise after receiving all the hockey assets from the inactive Arizona Coyotes.
The St. Louis Blues led 1-0 early in the second period at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The officials were about to send Blues defenseman Anton Malmstrom to the penalty box for holding. Utah pulled its goaltender for the extra attacker on the delayed call and controlled possession in the Blues zone.
Utah center Logan Cooley fed Dylan Guenther at the blueline, and the latter created space outside the defenseman before passing the puck to Milos Kelemen at the boards. Kelemin returned a pass to Guenther, who attempted to receive the puck while sidestepping along the line. The puck hopped over his stick, and he turned around to retrieve it for another rush, initially skating with both hands on the stick in an east-west motion.
That’s when the play really went south.
Guenther booked it as he saw the puck slide toward the open cage at Utah’s end of the ice. The biscuit decelerated ever so slightly, but it wasn’t stopping. Guenther pumped his arms, building as much speed as possible to potentially catch up, swat the puck off the goal line and make the highlight reel.
As Guenther reached forward, the blade of his stick was at the top of the crease. The puck was at the goal line, and it trickled into the net to cement a moment for the blooper reel instead.
The Blues thought they’d have some fun with the moment, congratulating Utah HC for its “first goal as a franchise” on social media. Here’s the goal:
Congratulations to Utah on their first goal as a franchise. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/eM2GwZCSO3
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 23, 2024
About six minutes later, left winger Michael Carcone scored Utah’s first actual goal in the pre-season. Defenseman Kevin Connauton tied it less than three minutes later.
As the third period began tied 2-2, Guenther got some sweet revenge. Malmstrom took another holding penalty, and the 21-year-old buried a cross-crease pass from Jack McBain on the power play to give the Hockey Club the lead.
Dylan was waiting on the doorstep and finished it beautifully 🤩#UtahHC https://t.co/3xkPwa75ah pic.twitter.com/Dp5CDv4Gwh
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) September 23, 2024
Although the Blues tied it, Cooley scored on a penalty shot, and Carcone sealed the deal with an empty-netter to give Utah a 1-0 record so far on the pre-season.
As Guenther told KSL reporters after the game, there was a bit of rust all around, but there’s plenty of time to get ready and start the season strong. He had a goal on five shots just two days after signing an eight-year contract extension with Utah.
Dylan Guenther: "I thought we did pretty well from start. I mean, still a little bit of rust; we had a lot of chances that we didn't score, me especially. Just trying to improve every game, sharpen every game, and make sure we're peaking opening night."
— Ryan Miller (@millerjryan) September 23, 2024
“Just trying to improve every game, sharpen every game and make sure we’re peaking opening night,” Guenther told reporters.
For a team that could be called the Yeti next season, they sure rebounded from an abominable own goal.
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News Summary:
- Utah Hockey Club Scores Own Goal, Gets Revenge In Its First NHL Pre-season Game
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.