SALT LAKE CITY – The Delta Center was a spectacle to behold on Monday night as the NHL descended upon Salt Lake City for the first ever preseason game featuring a Utah team. Following an evening full of everything that makes hockey great, including fights, goals, and an OT winner for the home team, several Utah Hockey Club players shared their perspectives of the memorable night.
Related: A Taste Of The NHL, UHC Creates Special Night In Preseason Game At Delta Center
Centering the team’s second line and power play unit, forward Alexander Kerfoot was not only a critical part of sparking the team’s energy, but he also scored off a rebound, right on the doorstep to give Utah a 2-0 lead in the first period.
Here’s another angle for you, as a treat 😉#UtahHC https://t.co/3gHFYMOLdy pic.twitter.com/y1NoT8d0QT
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) September 24, 2024
“It was fun to score,” Kerfoot said. “Those are always nice. On the power play, banging one in there. So, that was fun seeing the fans get excited and just being a part of the atmosphere was great.”
While he enjoyed lighting the lamp and finding success with his linemates Lawson Crouse and Matias Maccelli, Kerfoot shared that the greatest takeaway from the first night was how ready and excited the fans were for their new team.
Alexander Kerfoot: “Great atmosphere. I think that’s the biggest takeaway is that the fans are excited, ready to go, and we had a lot of fun playing in front of them…”
Like I said, these guys had a blast playing at the Delta Center. pic.twitter.com/dhEWNQins3
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) September 26, 2024
“It was a great atmosphere. I think that’s the biggest takeaway is that fans are excited, ready to go, and we had a lot of fun playing in front of them. I think it’s going to get better as the season goes along…the overall atmosphere, everything about the arena, the setup, and the fans was awesome,” Kerfoot shared.
As training camp continues, he shared that it’ll be critical to clean up some of the sloppier hockey but that’ll come as the chemistry returns and they familiarize themselves with some of the new systems.
For defenseman Sean Durzi, the energy was noticeable from the moment he took the ice on Monday night. Upon leading the team out with Crouse, the two took a moment to take in their surroundings and were impressed by the warm welcome from the crowd.
Sean Durzi: “It was probably the most exciting preseason game I’ve ever had so far…”
Without fail, every guy I’ve talked to about Monday’s game has had nothing but good things to say about the environment inside Delta Center. Utah fans, you brought the energy and they noticed. pic.twitter.com/JhuV9IgGWp
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) September 26, 2024
“That was a pretty cool atmosphere,” Durzi said. “It was probably the most exciting preseason game I’ve ever had so far. Right after me and Crouse led the team on the ice, we looked at each other on the bench and said, ‘Thats pretty cool.’ You get a great atmosphere for a game like that. I thought the facilities were great, the setup was great…there was a little bit of passion in the crowd, which was great and all you can ask for in an atmosphere like that.”
As for the defensive unit’s overall performance, Durzi shared that he wasn’t overly pleased with how they played, but most of the necessary improvements will come with time as they become more familiar with one another and make adjustments during their remaining preseason games.
As one of the most experienced players on the team, defenseman Ian Cole has played for nine different NHL teams since being drafted in 2007. While he said it was tough to compare Monday nights atmosphere to some of his previous destinations because they’re all so different, he did express that Utah has a lot of potential to grow as the team puts the best possible product on the ice.
“It was great. The fans were awesome…it was a great experience, great atmosphere, one that I have to imagine will only continue to grow exponentially as the season goes, as we get into the regular season and hopefully the playoffs…coming here, I think it could be a very exciting year and I think the people here in Salt Lake are very willing to give hockey a try,” Cole said.
Additionally, Cole also shared that he’s noticed a lot of similarities between this organization and Vancouver (where he spent last season) in the sense that this team may be on the cusp of something great. After so many years of losing games and consistently missing the playoffs, coupled with new faces and so much excitement in a new town, Utah could be on the verge of something special in year one.
“It’s that recipe that makes guys raise their competitiveness and realize, ‘I don’t care as much about points — I want to do whatever it takes to win.’ And then you couple that with the inaugural season, a whole new thing. It could be a really exciting perfect storm of ingredients going into this recipe that could make for a really special and cool experience this year,” he said.
Even though he didn’t play in Monday’s game, even 18-year-old and recent first round draft pick Tij Iginla took notice of the special environment fans produced inside of Delta Center.
Tij Iginla liked what he saw on the ice and from the fans at Delta Center on Monday.#UtahHockeyClub pic.twitter.com/LrhKG7NXBU
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 25, 2024
“It’s awesome. To see those fans, it’s almost sold out for a preseason game. We’re getting a couple first period fights; some goals and stuff and they’re just going nuts like it’s a game seven or something like that. It’s unreal and this city as well,” Iginla said.
After returning to training camp this week and getting a few practice sessions under his belt, Iginla hopes to dress for Utah during the preseason and shared that it would be a huge honor to put on the new sweater.
Full Story: Tij Iginla’s Status Revealed During Utah Hockey Club’s Training Camp
“It would mean a lot, obviously there’s an NHL regular season debut, but preseason, it would be pretty spectacular too,” Iginla said. “I got the privilege of watching the one at the Delta Center the other day and it looks like some really good hockey. Fast, physical, obviously it’s the NHL, so it would be a huge honor.”
No matter the age or experience level, every player who had an opportunity to comment on Monday night’s game was clearly wowed by the reception they received from the fans and can’t wait to return to the ice on October 8 for the regular season home opener.
The Utah Hockey Club will continue their preseason against the Las Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night at T-Mobile Arena. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Click here for the full schedule.
