“I'll just be myself”: Clayton Keller on tonight's historic game

For months, Clayton Keller has been in a community full of excitement.

He woke up this morning “super excited,” he said, to an epic evening at the Delta Center as the Utah Hockey Club will face the Chicago Blackhawks in its first game as an NHL franchise (8 p.m. MT, ESPN/ESPN+ ).

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Despite the hype surrounding today's game, Keller said his message as captain in the locker room was simple:

He'll just be himself.

“It’s a historic night, so it’s going to be pretty crazy,” Keller said. “We have to focus on our job and what we want to do.”

It won't be easy, especially in a game where both teams are trying to take a step forward, but head coach Andre Tourigny, Keller said, has helped the team stay balanced throughout the summer.

Now they get a chance to showcase that to a state and a nation ready to see them on the ice.

“We’re growing the game here,” he added. “We are super excited; It’s going to be a huge night.”

More on Utah HC's historic opening night:

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