SALT LAKE CITY – Two penalties against Montreal set Utah Hockey Club up on a two-man advantage in the opening minute, leading to Josh Doan’s second goal. Utah HC grabbed the 1-0 lead just over two minutes into the inter-conference matchup.
Utah HC (18-17-7, 43 points) continues its seven-game homestand on Tuesday, January 14, when the Montreal Canadiens (20-18-4, 44 points) visit. Both teams are in the fifth wild card spot in their respective conferences.
Doaner capitalizes on the power play 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XhdMSc4HlQ
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) January 15, 2025
Utah had multiple chances at the net before Doan’s goal. Riding a two-game goal streak, Nick Schmaltz was turned away at the net just seconds into the two-man power play.
Clayton Keller and Schmaltz assisted the goal.
Montreal bounced right back after the power plays ended. Mike Matheson got behind the defense for a breakaway goal with 16:42 left in the opening period.
One day after Head Coach Andre Tourigny told assembled media that John Marino is now officially considered day-to-day, Utah Hockey Club GM Bill Armstrong said that Marino is expected to debut tonight against Montreal.
Bill Armstrong just mentioned on the air with @975hans and me that John Marino will be in the lineup tonight for the Utah Hockey Club.
— Scott Garrard (@ScottyGZone) January 14, 2025
After shedding his non-contact jersey in early January, Marino joined the team on their previous road trip, participated fully in practice, and was recently paired with Juuso Valimaki.
Alongside Mikhail Sergachev, Marino was another significant acquisition for the Utah Hockey Club this past offseason as it sought to bolster its D-core.
At 6-foot-1, Marino brings a good amount of size and physicality to the ice.
Per Tourigny,
John Marino is a game time decision tonight.
He will go through warm ups.
If he plays, he’ll be on the third pairing.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 14, 2025
He’s also very confident with the puck, skates well, and can make a sizable impact offensively, as he’s registered 18 goals and 89 assists in five seasons at the NHL level.
While Marino’s return is certainly coming at the right time for Utah, and he’ll eventually play a significant role for the club, it will take a few games to settle in and get back up to speed.
“We have big plans for him,” General Manager Bill Armstrong said. “He’s a top-four defenseman for us that can impact the second-unit PP and the number-one PK.”
“If we can bring him in the right way and not overload him with minutes or situational play, it’ll help him grow and get comfortable.”
Utah Hockey Club games can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on the KSL Sports app or 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. Listen to Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
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Brian Preece is a KSLsports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball coverage here.