The Hat Trick: UHC Sink Sharks, Rally Late Behind Yamamoto Goals For Fourth Preseason Victory
Oct 1, 2024, 11:26 PM
SAN JOSE, CA – Despite conceding the first goal in a highly contested and fast paced hockey game, the Utah Hockey Club rallied late scoring three unanswered goals to defeat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Thanks to a stellar team effort and a pair of goals by Kailer Yamamoto, the club improved to a 4-1 preseason record.
Here are the key takeaways from Utah’s hard fought comeback victory.
Josh Doan belongs on the Utah Hockey Club roster from day one
It’s been a strong preseason showing for Josh Doan during training camp as he’s appeared in most of Utah’s games and already registered three points (one goal, two assists). As he continues to battle for an opening day roster spot, Doan has given the coaching staff every reason to add him to that list and officially begin his rookie campaign.
Throughout every single minute Doan has been on the ice, he has been a consistent presence on both ends. He plays incredibly hard, hits the forecheck as strong as anybody, wins loose pucks, battles in front of the net and creates so many problems for the defense.
Against the Sharks, Doan was right back at it by doing what he does best.
I really like what I’ve seen from Doan in the preseason. He works incredibly hard, battles in every area, has a great feel for the game offensively, helps out on defense, and just looks like he belongs.
Personally, I think he makes the roster from day one.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 2, 2024
During the second period, a puck was sent back into the Sharks zone which Doan pursued, won back by lifting the stick of the shark defenseman and then walked in on net for a great scoring chance that unfortunately just didn’t go. Into the third, Doan was again pressuring relentlessly in the Sharks zone which led to extra possessions, extended possessions and multiple scoring opportunities.
That’s exactly what you want from a guy like Josh Doan. High energy, high motor, and creating havoc with an intense forecheck and battling for position in front of the net.
I asked Coach Bear what he’s see from Josh Doan during camp and if he’s pushing for a roster spot.
His response ⬇️👀#UtahHockeyClub #NHL pic.twitter.com/Yr97Eq165N
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) September 30, 2024
Simply put, Doan belongs on the roster. Hopefully he’s done enough to prove that in the midst of a highly competitive training camp.
Tij Iginla looks really comfortable offensively at the NHL level
After making his official preseason debut with the Utah Hockey Club against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night, Iginla returned to ice against the San Jose Sharks and looked noticeably comfortable.
While he wasn’t able to register a point on the scoring sheet, Iginla was consistently involved in the offensive zone for Utah and continued to demonstrate how dangerous he is.
The shot didn’t go but Tij Iginla with a sneaky little zone entry that results in a decent opportunity.
He has really good positioning and constantly puts himself in dangerous spots.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 2, 2024
Right from the start, Iginla attacked the Sharks and tried to catch them sleeping as he waited near their blue line for a long pass. He then snuck into their zone and was able to fire one on net that forced the goaltender to make a quick save. Despite the miss, it was still a great play and showed how dangerous Iginla can be when the other team isn’t paying attention.
Later, Iginla’s offensive awareness was on full display as he danced his way into the Sharks zone again, recognized that several of his teammates were crashing the net and simply fired one on goal to create a scoring chance. Again, it didn’t go but the goaltender had to scramble as Utah crashed hard and was a high IQ play from the recent draft pick.
Coach Bear on Tij Iginla: “I really like his skillset. He has good execution, he’s creative offensively…For an 18 year old guy who did not have a lot of reps in our structure, I liked his game.”#UtahHockeyClub #NHL
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) September 30, 2024
Once the preseason ends, chances are good that Iginla will return to his junior team in Canada. But he has already demonstrated that he can hang in this league, and it shouldn’t be long before he’s lacing up his skates every night for Utah. Another solid year of development at the junior level should put him in a great position to compete for a roster spot next season.
Yamamoto belongs on an NHL roster, even if it’s not Utah’s
Head coach André Tourigny wasn’t kidding when he said that this year’s final cuts will be incredibly difficult. With guys like Josh Doan, Kailer Yamamoto, Michael Carcone and Liam O’Brien all battling for a spot, a great hockey player is going to be left off Utah’s roster.
“It will be tough at the end. Every day you are starting to look at the numbers, you look at how much we have to cut, and it will be a tough decision. It’s a great problem to have, that’s perfect. We’ll have a good player who unfortunately will not be able to find a spot so it’s their job to keep making our job as miserable as possible,” Tourigny said.
For now, we’ll leave that to the coaching staff, but Yamamoto may have made their decision even more difficult with the work he did against the Sharks.
For the night, Yamamoto finished with a game-high two goals and was a key factor in Utah’s comeback victory. He did so by battling in the trenches, putting himself in a good position and crashing the net hard on both occasions.
Another angle…I mean c’mon. This is the greatest sport in the world. https://t.co/COqkKRSqSd
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 2, 2024
After signing his PTO, Yamamoto has done everything you could ask from a player in that situation. He’s battled hard, given extra effort at practice, been a menace in the offensive zone and tonight he was finally rewarded with a pair of goals. From the outside looking in, he looks like he belongs on this roster. But it’s just not that simple.
Luckily that’s the coaching staff’s problem to resolve but it’s not going to be easy. How do you choose between any of those players who have all demonstrated their talents so well? Regardless, it’s hard to see Yamamoto not make an NHL roster this season after what he’s done in Utah.
RELATED STORIES
Utah Hockey Club Schedule
The Utah Hockey Club will continue their preseason against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night at the Honda Center. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
