The young goalie spoke about getting to hold the fort in a tie game against the pesky Los Angeles Kings in Monday's pre-season opener.
Matt Villalta is in his sixth year as a professional, but he had never experienced anything like the sold-out Delta Center Monday night.
The 11,131 raucous fans were the difference, he said, as he held the fort in what he called the most fun he's ever had playing a game, as the Utah Hockey Club won 3-2 in overtime over the Los Angeles Kings.
He has head coach Andre Tourigny and his fast-paced practices to thank for preparing him. Villalta was part of the second practice group Wednesday in Kearns when Tourigny stopped the drills to give his team an earful.
Whatever was said worked because the group played with more urgency and desperation, just as it happened last week when Tourigny did the same for the first practice group.
"At the NHL level, it's how you've got to practice," Villalta said. "It helps you as a goalie get back into the rhythm of things."
It's what allowed Villalta to stone every shot the Kings threw at him Monday in the third period, and even a bonus shootout that Utah won, with every save drawing a louder reaction from the fans.
Now, he said, he looks forward to continually learn from starter Connor Ingram, who played the first two periods of Monday's win, and Karel Vejmelka, who is expected to be the backup goaltender.
"My goal is to play as well as I can every day," Villalta said. "The goal is to go in there and shut the door and show management that I'm ready to play in the NHL."