SALT LAKE CITY — It may only be preseason and may not count in the standings, but when it comes to making history, Monday's hockey game at Delta Center doesn't get any bigger.
For the first time, the Utah Hockey Club will play at home in front of a fan base that has been waiting for the puck to drop since the team moved to the Wasatch Front back in spring.
"I think it's cool for us," said forward Dylan Guenther. "It's cool for the players, it's cool for the fans and it's going to grow hockey in the state, too, so I think that's pretty cool, too."
"Our first opportunity to show ourselves to our fans and the hometown, so it's great," added defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, who won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles with Tampa Bay before being traded to Utah back in June.
Last night, in of all places, Des Moines, the team scored its first victory with a 5-3 win over St. Louis.
"A bunch of us watched that game, hopped on that [livestream]," said center Barrett Hayton. "Great to watch the guys play, just get a feel for getting back in the real games."
As much fun as Sunday was, Monday's game vs. Los Angeles on Utah 16 promises to be even bigger.
Weeks after the team came to Utah, thousands of fans were turned away when the club held a simple meet-and-greet at the arena.
"The atmosphere in that meet-and-greet was unbelievable and we're looking forward to getting on the ice there and feeling that energy," Hayton added.
That the team has felt at home in the Salt Lake Valley after just a few months is not a surprise to the Utah Hockey Club roster, who have felt welcomed by fans since day one.
"Smooth sailing so far. The town and the state is super welcoming," Guenther said. "They're super excited to have us. As are we."
"This town's been nothing been great to all of us," said defenseman Sean Durzi. "Even myself, just living my everyday life, I have a lot of people who are very welcoming. I headed to the farmer's market and I got people giving me bottles of honey for free and just kind of welcome me in a good way."
