New setups vs. Boston Bruins; Clayton Keller returns to BU

Boston Utah Hockey Club opens its four-game road trip on Thursday with a matchup against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden.

After struggling offensively this month, Utah showed changes during Wednesday's practice to try to kickstart some of its top players.

Here's how UHC mixes it up:

Lines and power play units change

Head Coach Andr Tourigny, to be honest, hasn't gotten enough of any of his forwards. So he decided to make some changes.

Dylan Guenther has moved to the right wing of the first line alongside Nick Bjugstad and Clayton Keller, and Lawson Crouse fills in on the second line with Logan Cooley and Matais Maccelli. Nick Schmaltz, who is still looking for his first goal of the season, was moved to the third line along with Alex Kerfoot and Barrett Hayton. The fourth line of Jack McBain, Kevin Stenlund and Michael Carcone remains the same.

It's a message of responsibility, Tourigny said. Guenther and Keller already have some chemistry, so try to spark that. I think Maccelli can find Crouse and Crouse knows where to get into the space. Hopefully that will fuel him offensively.

Tourigny also made adjustments to Utah's two power-play units after the team went 0-for-7 on the man advantage against the Washington Capitals on Monday and scored one power-play goal in the last seven games. Utah's 5-on-5 showing was fine for the most part. It's special teams that lose games.

Maccelli was moved to first unit, while Schmaltz was moved to second unit. In addition, Bjugstad has taken over Hayton's net front position on the second unit. On paper it looks like Schmaltz has been relegated in two areas of the game, but Tourigny said I think this will take some pressure off him.

Having Bjugstad on the second unit provides some versatility for Utah down low on the power play, as he has a right shot while Crouse has a left shot. Previously, when Hayton was on the second unit, Utah had two lefties that limited opportunities for both faceoffs and movement or tips around the crease.

We think this could provide an option on both sides as they can rotate inside, Tourigny said. [Bjugstad and Crouse] are two big bodies and Kesselring has a very good shot. Two big boys in the middle, hopefully we can take advantage of that.

Goalkeeper update

Jaxson Stauber received an emergency recall from the Utah Hockey Club on Wednesday from the team's AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners.

Stauber's arrival comes after the team announced that goaltender Connor Ingram was day-to-day with an upper-body injury and that he remained in Utah for further evaluation. Tourigny said Ingram's injury occurred during Monday's match, in which he was withdrawn early in the second period after giving up four goals.

For now, Karel Vejmelka is now listed as Utah's starter with Stauber as his backup. Vejmelka has averaged 2.58 goals and a save percentage of 0.915 in seven games this season. Stauber, who is 25 years old, has a GAA of 2.29 and an SV% of .930 through seven games with the Roadrunners.

With a tough schedule and a tough road trip ahead, Tourigny said Utah will still have to rely on two goaltenders to manage the load.

Tourigny was probably saying whether Stauber would get a start. Playing four games in six nights, so it's a lot. I probably don't know when. One day at a time his time will come.

Clayton Keller returns to his college job

Utah practiced Wednesday at Boston University's Agganis Arena, a rink Keller is quite familiar with.

The captain played a year of NCAA hockey with the Terriers in the 2016-2017 season, scoring 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) in 41 games as a freshman.

It's the best time of your life. It's a special feeling to play for something bigger than the school, Keller said of his time at BU. It's always good to come back. I had such a great group of guys, great teammates, guys I still talk to today.

One of Keller's Terrier teammates was Charlie McAvoy, who is now a defenseman for the Boston Bruins. The two will face off at TD Garden on Thursday.

While at Agganis Arena, Keller said he caught up with current BU players Quinn and Cole Hutson. Their brother Lane also played for the Terriers and is currently in his rookie season with the Montreal Canadiens.

The Hutsons' father, Rob, owned the ice skating rink in Fairview Heights, Illinois, near Keller's childhood home.

He's honestly one of the guys who taught me how to skate when I was five years old. We are still in a relationship. We talk all the time, Keller said of Rob. It was kind of a free for all. He let us go there whenever we wanted, no matter the time or day. He was there and did everything for me growing up at the little rink.

Keller said he might have put in a good word for BU when the Hutson brothers were choosing which NCAA school to play college hockey at.

Unrest in Boston

Thursday's game at TD Garden will be Boston Bruins first since former head coach Jim Montgomery was fired.

Montgomery was relieved of his position on Tuesday after the Bruins started the year with an 8-9-3 record through 20 games. Associate coach Joe Sacco now serves as interim head coach.

Aside from the instability from the coaching change, the Bruins have struggled as of late, dropping four of their last five games, including three losses on home ice. Like Utah, Boston's top players don't show up every night.

But it's no reason to underestimate the historic franchise.

With the coaching change, I know that they have to come out with a lot of energy and a lot of courage [Thursday]said Tourigny. They will. I think their management has sent a clear message that they are not happy that there will be a push.