A change of scenery wasn’t any help for the Utah Hockey Club as they ventured to Southern California to play a quick one-game road trip against the Los Angeles Kings. Despite some line changes, the return of one of their leaders, and a player scoring their first goal for the team, Utah was unable to end its losing streak, falling to the Kings 3-2. What happened at Crypto.com Arena that was different from the prior losses? Here are some takeaways from Saturday’s (Oct. 26) game.
Nick Bjugstad Returns
There’s no doubt that Nick Bjugstad is a big part of Utah’s locker room and culture. After sitting out the first eight games of the season with a lower-body injury, the forward made his Utah debut on Saturday against the Kings on a line with Matias Maccelli and Lawson Crouse.
The line played decently, creating the first couple of chances for Utah early. While neither he nor his line ended up on the scoresheet, Bjugstad looked pretty good, especially considering he hadn’t played in a regular season game since last season.
“I felt alright,” Bjugstad said. “On the goal, I could have been a little more on the defensive side. (I’m) just trying to keep growing each and every day and trying to get better.”
Nick Bjugstad is making his season and Utah debut this afternoon. He will play on a line with Lawson Crouse and Matias Maccelli. #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/jJ2D7aUBVl
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) October 26, 2024
While the addition of Bjugstad into the lineup didn’t give Utah the win, their offense looked better. The power play that hasn’t scored in the past 12 opportunities produced a goal, albeit a couple of seconds after the penalty expired. Maccelli and Crouse both looked better. Communication looked better. While Bjugstad won’t be the lone key to the puzzle on how to solve Utah’s issues, he does make the team better.
Related: Maveric Lamoureux’s Path to the Utah Hockey Club Was Anything but Easy
“He’s a big guy,” head coach André Tourigny said. “He protects the puck well. He plays both sides of the puck in those kinds of games. I think he was massive for us today.”
The only player that was featured on the opening night lineup now that has yet to make their debut with Utah is John Marino. However, he remains out with an injury for another three to four months.
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