Connor Ingram #39 of the Utah Hockey Club in action against the San Jose Sharks during their preseason game at SAP Center on October 01, 2024 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – During their final preseason tune-up against the Colorado Avalanche at Maverik Center, the Utah Hockey Club pulled off an impressive win over their Central Division foes, 2-1. Thanks to some excellent goaltending from Connor Ingram, and goals from several of their star players, Utah closed out the preseason with a 5-2 record.
Here are the key takeaways from Utah’s final game of the preseason.
Despite being heavily outshot 31-20 and some missed assignments defensively, Utah goaltender Connor Ingram was the MVP during the final preseason game.
With a .968 save percentage (that is phenomenal), Colorado would’ve had more luck looking for a Yeti in a snowstorm as Ingram was nearly unbeatable all night. Time and again, Ingram came to the rescue for his team with several fully outstretched pad stops and a few quick glove saves that can only be described as pure robbery.
“You need great goaltending…when those big breakdowns happened, Ingram made key saves, came up big, and made a difference,” Coach André Tourigny said.
According to Ingram, it’s all about his awareness and positioning which allows him to make saves like he did against Colorado.
“I’ve got to know what’s going on before it happens,” Ingram said. “I think that’s my greatest strength is just being where I need to be and making it easy on myself.”
Now, a nearly perfect night is not always going to happen, but Ingram looked incredible and was certainly deserving of his first star of the game honors on Saturday night.
⭐️ Tonight’s stars of the game ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/gd6Cvz36ux
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) October 6, 2024
After last year and the production Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther had together in only half a season, the two young stars are prepping for a full 82-game slate with one another. Based off what they showed on the same line last season and how they’ve looked during training camp, the two are going to produce a lot of points for Utah.
Early on in their final preseason matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, that line was busy doing what they do best. Jack McBain got in on the forecheck to win the puck back, Logan Cooley exercised phenomenal patience as he possessed the puck waiting for an opportunity and Guenther let one rip from a distance that gave Utah an early lead.
I love the patience from Cooley and obviously Guenther can simply rip it on net.
This line is going to be a lot of fun. https://t.co/8YhdAZwwS1
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 6, 2024
That is exactly what the coaching staff wants to see from that line, and even if McBain ends up with another group, it would likely be Lawson Crouse instead and he can do even more than McBain.
Looking ahead to the regular season, there’s a really good chance that pair combines for 110 or more points if they stay healthy.
Look, we’ve been over this a million times but it’s obvious that Kailer Yamamoto deserves to be on this roster after what he’s shown during the preseason. Sure, he’s on a PTO so he has to go above and beyond if he wants a contract, but without a doubt this team should not pass on him.
Yamamoto is a workhorse and isn’t afraid of anybody. Arguably his greatest trait is how hard he battles for elite positioning which has resulted in a plethora of scoring opportunities and goals.
Against Colorado for example, every shift he was fighting in the crease for chances and beating defenseman bigger than him consistently. For his efforts, he rung one off the crossbar and threw multiple rebounds back on net that unfortunately just wouldn’t go.
So, it’s clear that Yamamoto deserves a contract. But what does that mean for Josh Doan?
Right now, Utah does have some wiggle room due to the fact that Nick Bjugstad and John Marino will be placed on IR. That means on opening night, Yamamoto, Doan, Liam O’Brien and Michael Carcone should theoretically all make the roster. But once those players return, two skaters will have to be sent down.
Not that it’s a guarantee but rather than two forwards being sent down once Bjugstad and Marino are healthy, it’s likely that a defenseman will be replaced by Marino. That would leave three forward spots up for grabs between the four skaters previously mentioned.
Josh Doan’s mindset over the last few days of camp before final cuts: “Control the controllables.” #UtahHC #NHL pic.twitter.com/Y4UGmR37Q4
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 6, 2024
It’s a remarkably tough decision. Yamamoto and Doan have arguably been the most deserving to maintain a spot with the team, but Carcone hasn’t been far behind, and O’Brien is Spicy Tuna. What will also likely play a role is how well these players perform until Bjugstad is ready, which could be awhile.
But once a decision does need to be made, which player do you send down? Do you send Yamamoto because he’s on a two-way? Do you send Doan because he’s still young and wouldn’t have to clear waivers? Or do you reward those two and send down Carcone or O’Brien?
Luckily, that’s a decision for the coaches to make and shouldn’t be something they need to worry about for a little while.
“I could not wait to have a hard job,” Tourigny said. “That’s a really good problem to have. We’ll have a really good player who won’t play on opening night and that’s good for the organization. That’s good for us. With Marino and Bjugstad coming back eventually, that’s an even better problem.”
The Utah Hockey Club will now officially transition to the regular season with their first game on October 8 against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. Click here for the full schedule.
