Game Thread – Kings @ Utah Hockey Club, 9/23

Los Angeles Kings 2, Utah Hockey Club 3
Final (OT)
Game Preview
VIDEO: NHL Network
AUDIO: ESPN LA / LA Kings App
SOG: LAK – 25 UTA – 21
PP: LAK – 1/2 UTA – 2/4

Third Period
20:00 – Carter George led LA back on the Delta Center ice for period three! Portillo finishes the game with 14 saves on 16 shots for the Kings in his 2024 preseason debut. Matt Villalta has also replaced Connor Ingram in the Utah net.
16:23 – Andre Lee had his third grade-A chance of the night, gaining a step on Utah’s defense as he came into the offensive zone, but this time he was stopped by former Ontario teammate, Matt Villalta, who came on for the home team in the third.
6:30 – Play has tightened up defensively in the third, with chances on both sides few and far between. LA has generated 5 shots, while Utah has 3 to this point.

Second Period
20:00 – Back to action in the middle period! LA looking to answer back after allowing two goals in the second half of the first.
17:22 – Utah has carried the momentum they generated in the first into the early moments of the second and had a good look on the doorstep that Portillo denied. A loose rebound was also available, but Kyle Burroughs helped keep the puck out by blocking a chance at the side of the goal.
15:20 – Joel Edmundson got back to block a shot off an odd-man rush for Utah, taking away a potential good look for the home club.
13:43 – LAK Goal – A shot from the right point by Caleb Jones generated a rebound at the front of the net for Jeff Malott, who quickly swept it into the net to get the Kings on the board and make it a 2-1 game. Malott had just exited the penalty box after serving his five minute major penalty for fighting Liam O’Brien in the first period.
12:55 – On the next shift after Malott’s goal, Samuel Helenius had a 2-on-1 chance alongside linemate Andre Lee. Helenius set Lee up in front for a great look on the right side of the net that was stopped by Ingram.
8:16 – Utah’s Maveric Lamoureux was whistled for holding in his own zone, putting the Kings on the power play for the first time tonight.
7:55 – Moments after Lamoureux’s minor, Ian Cole tripped up Charles Hudon during a zone entry. LA heads to the 5-on-3 man-advantage for 1:39.
6:20 – LAK Goal – As the first of the minor penalties was about to expire, Francesco Pinelli found Alex Turcotte open in front of the net. Turcotte made a move to his backhand and slipped the puck by Ingram to tie the game up at 2-2 for LA.
5:34 – The Kings got caught in their own zone and in an attempt to deny a chance coming out of the corer, Trevor Lewis was called for hooking Artem Duda.
3:19 – Just after killing off Lewis’ minor, Brandt Clarke was hit with a cross-checking call. Utah heads back to the power play where they’ve been dangerous tonight.
1:18 – Easily the best looking penalty kill of the night for the Kings, who keep the game tied at 2-2 into the final minute of the first period.
0:00 – The Kings turned it around in the second and came from behind to even this preseason contest with 20 minutes remaining.

First Period
20:00 – The Kings and Utah Hockey Club are underway in preseason action!
18:55 – Kings have worked a few good chances in the early moments. Turcotte had a look near the goal line and then Andree Lee carried the puck in on a rush before backhanding a shot on goal that was taken care of by Connor Ingram.
14:32 – Charles Hudon found himself alone down the right wing for the best chance of the period thus far but his wrister was denied by Ingram.
10:02 – Another opportunity for the Thomas-Turcotte-Lewis line. They’ve spent most of their time in the offensive zone early on.
6:36 – A nice power move to the net by Jack Studnicka created a chance on goal, but he continued after the loose puck in the crease and made contact with Ingram. The play was whistled for interference, giving Utah the first man-advantage chance of the game.
5:30 – Portillo was forced to make his first high quality save of the game, denying Josh Doan on the doorstep to keep the game scorelsss.
4:56 – UTA Goal – Utah takes a 1-0 lead on a goal by Lawson Crouse, who tapped home a feed from Sean Durzi just beyond the top of the crease.
4:52 – Jeff Malott and Liam O’Brien shed the mitts at center ice off the ensuing faceoff after the goal.
4:48 – Moments after the first fight and a media timeout, Jack Studnicka and Travis Barron drop the gloves.
4:13 – Kyle Burroughs took a minor penalty for hooking, putting Utah back on the power play for the second time in the period.
3:14 – UTA Goal – A loose rebound in the crease was settled down by Alex Kerfoot and forced into an empty goal. Utah is 2/2 on the power play and now holds a 2-goal lead.
0:00 – Utah heads into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead, putting six consecutive shots on goal in the last nine minutes of the period.

Game Day in Salt Lake City! Tonight’s contest can be seen live on NHL Network and heard via ESPN LA, the team’s new audio home for all games this season. The NHLN feed will have Utah’s talent, focusing mostly on the league’s newest club. Josh Schaefer and Daryl Evans will be on the call for the Kings on ESPN LA, live from the Delta Center.

Today’s Kings Lineup –

Thomas – Turcotte – Lewis
Malott – Pinelli – Fagemo
Lee – Helenius – Ward
Greentree – Studnicka – Hudon

Edmundson – Clarke
Moverare – Burroughs
Englund – Jones

Portillo
George