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Utah Star Hits Game-Winning Shot in Home Debut

The Utah Hockey Club kicked off their tenure at their home arena with a dramatic victory.

Nick Horwat

Sep 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Hockey Club forward Clayton Keller (9) shoots against Los Angeles Kings goaltender Carter George} (40) during a shootout at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Sep 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Hockey Club forward Clayton Keller (9) shoots against Los Angeles Kings goaltender Carter George} (40) during a shootout at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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The Utah Hockey Club took to the ice at the Delta Center for the first time and gave the home crowd a dramatic finish. Just 19 seconds into overtime against the Los Angeles Kings, Utah forward Clayton Keller scored the game-winning goal. A perfect moment for Utah as they prepare for their inaugural season in the NHL.

Utah originally had a 2-0 lead over the Kings after the first period, but Los Angeles fought back to make it 2-2 after two frames. Neither team surrendered a goal in the third, forcing overtime in their first game in front of their fans.

Keller, who is already a leader in the locker room, stole a dumping attempt from Kings goalie Carter George and quickly beat the prospect netminder for Utah’s first win at the Delta Center.

Utah kicked off their preseason action in Des Moinse, Iowa against the St. Louis Blues. Utah walked away victorious in that contest.

Since it was a preseason game, everything was unofficial, but the crowd was loud and the atmosphere didn’t match that of an exhibition. Fans in Utah are excited about what’s ahead for the Hockey Club and starting the preseason a perfect 2-0 is a great way to prepare for the regular season.

According to the NHL, the attendance at the Delta Center was 11,131, which is a great number for preseason action. It’s not a massive number for NHL standards, but there is plenty of room for the fanbase to grow.

Over the next three years, the Delta Center will undergo expansive renovations to make it a more enjoyable experience for hockey.

Keller is also a key name for the fans of Utah to follow. He's been with the organization since 2016 and has continued to stick through the madness that was the Arizona Coyotes. When it's time to name a captain in Utah, he should be at the top of the list of candidates.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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