The Utah Hockey Club finally got to taste the ice at Delta Center.
On Friday, many of the team's promising young players took part in a practice match, capping off this summer's development camp, and more than 5,000 new fans of the hockey club came out to watch the team take to the ice for the first time.
“It was crazy,” Utah's 2024 first-round draft pick Cole Beaudoin said after the scrimmage. “Hearing (the fans) celebrate when we scored was unbelievable.”
The players split into two teams, and Baudoin and fellow 2024 first-round pick Tiji Iginla were victorious for the White team, which outshot the Black team 11-2 after two 25-minute periods and a five-minute three-on-three segment.
“It was a really fun game. The skating and the skill level was high,” Iginla said. “I'm really happy that so many people came out today.”
2023 first-round draft pick Daniil Butt was the star of the game, scoring four goals on the afternoon and recording a hat trick in the first period.
White team forward Daneel Butt (48) celebrates a goal with his teammates during the Utah Hockey Club's development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center, Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team forward Daniil Butt (48) controls the puck during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team defenseman Viti Vaisanen (51) and Black team forward Noel Nord (45) battle for possession of the puck during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team forward Tiji Iginla (12) controls the puck while being guarded by Black team defenseman Cal Thomas (57) during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Friday, July 5, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Players skate on the ice during the Utah Hockey Club's development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team forward Cole Beaudoin (24) battles for possession of the puck with Black team defenseman Terrell Goldsmith (54) and forward Sam Bowe (32) during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Fans hold signs and cheer during the Utah Hockey Club's development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team forward Daniil Butt (48) celebrates a goal with forward Jacob Newcomb (65) during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team forward Daneel Butt (48) celebrates after scoring a goal during the Utah Hockey Club's development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center, Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team forward Sam Lipkin (71) and Black team forward Owen Allard (37) battle for possession of the puck during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Friday, July 5, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team forward Reggie Newman (47) controls the puck while being guarded by Black team defenseman Terrell Goldsmith (54) during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Friday, July 5, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team defenseman Matthew Morden (59) controls the puck while being guarded by Black team forward Vortec Hradec (72) during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Friday, July 5, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team forward Cole Beaudoin (24) and Black team forward Jonathan Castagna (74) wait for the puck to drop during the Utah Hockey Club's development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024 in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
White team defenseman Will Skahan (61) shakes hands with forward Sam Lipkin (71) during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
The ice is being cleared before a three-on-three showdown during the Utah Hockey Club's development camp intrasquad scrimmage, Friday, July 5, 2024, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
A participant purchases merchandise during the Utah Hockey Club's development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
St. George's Colton Collings buys merchandise during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Players gesture to the crowd after a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Black team defenseman Dmitry Simashev (26) controls the puck while being guarded by White team defenseman Justin Kipkey (58) during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Friday, July 5, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
The White and Black teams shake hands after a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Black team defenseman Dmitry Simashev (26) controls the puck while being guarded by White team forward Jacob Newcomb (65) during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Friday, July 5, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
A young fan looks on at the ice during the Utah Hockey Club's development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
The Black and White teams line up to announce their starting lineups before the Utah Hockey Club's development camp intrasquad scrimmage on Friday, July 5, 2024, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Black team forward Gabe Smith (93) attempts to gain control of the puck while being guarded by White team forward Cole Beaudoin (24) during a Utah Hockey Club development camp intrasquad scrimmage at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Friday, July 5, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Iginla opened the second period with an unassisted strike to set up White's score and was another standout player, showing impressive skating and offensive decision-making throughout the scrimmage.
As the franchise's first draft pick, the 17-year-old phenom received a warm welcome from fans when he was announced as the starter over White.
“It was really cool to hear the big cheers when they called my name,” Iginla said. “I think the fans have been really welcoming to the hockey club and to me, so I think we've got some of the best fans in the league and it's going to be a really fun game.”
Sam Lipkin, Matthew Morden and 2024 No. 2 draft pick Will Skahan each had a goal and two assists for the Whites, whose defense and goaltending thwarted nearly all of the Black's scoring opportunities.
Meanwhile, the Black fell behind 5-0 early and never recovered, but Terrell Goldsmith and Jonathan Castagna each scored goals and Owen Allard, Noel Nord and Mico Maticka all had assists.
