Call it a revenge game for the Utah Hockey Club. Two months ago, the team suffered an embarrassing collapse to the San Jose Sharks, giving up four unanswered goals in the final minutes of the third period and in overtime to lose 5-4. However, redemption came on Saturday when Utah battled back throughout the game to get a historic 4-3 win over the Sharks. Here are some takeaways from Saturday night’s game.
Utah’s Power Play and Fourth Line Ignites
Utah’s power play throughout the season has looked good at some points and then not so good at other points. On Saturday night, the team’s power play looked not just good, but dominant.
Utah had six total chances on the man advantage throughout the game. While they didn’t score on all six, each opportunity they had, they were threatening to score. After Mikael Granlund scored the second goal for the Sharks, it was Nick Schmaltz who capitalized on the power play. Excellent passing by the offense got Schmaltz in front of the net where he easily whacked in the loose change.
The eventual game-winning goal by Clayton Keller was also scored on the man advantage. However, it wasn’t just the big names who got the offense going on Saturday. For the past couple of games, the fourth line of Alex Kerfoot, Michael Carcone, and Kevin Stenlund has been dominant for Utah. Before the game against the Sharks, Stenlund was on a four-game goal-scoring streak. Although he didn’t score on Saturday, he did pick up a point and has scored five points in the past five games.
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Instead, it was Carcone picking up the goal for the fourth line. Kerfoot was able to shake off a defender, dishing it over to Stenlund. Stenlund found Carcone who tapped it into the wide-open net, tying the game at three.
Carcone has four points in his past five games. The forward was a healthy scratch at one time after struggling earlier in the season. Now, he’s found his home playing with Kerfoot and Stenlund.
“It’s funny how it goes, eh?” Carcone said. “Our line has been great. Finding the back of the net lately. I guess that’s the NHL. That’s how it goes. Some weeks are going to be good. Sometimes you’re going to be pretty low. Just weathering that storm.”
Throughout the season, different parts of this Utah team have been carrying them to wins. At times, it’s been goaltending. At other times, it’s been the second line. Recently, it’s been their fourth line which wasn’t getting much offense at one point. However, things can change throughout an 82-game schedule. Utah’s bottom line and power play showed that on Saturday.
Keller: Captain Clutch
Big names show up in big moments. That’s exactly what Keller did with less than a minute to go in the third period with Utah and the Sharks tied at three. While on the power play, Mikhail Sergachev slid the puck over to Keller who waited patiently for his time to strike. While moving towards the center of the zone, he quickly snapped a wrist shot and it beat Vitek Vanecek, putting Utah up by a goal.
Keller scoring the game-winner is only fitting. After a great start for Utah, the team started slumping and Keller along with it. Confidence was at an all-time low but recently it’s been an all-time high. There’s a different vibe around Utah’s locker room and it is getting all the players excited to go play again.
“We’ve had a lot of confidence,” Keller said. “Guys are talking on the bench. You can just feel it. There’s a different feeling. To have that is a good thing. I’m looking forward to our next game.”
Keller is a super competitive player. It’s a good trait to have when you’re the captain of an NHL club, especially amidst its inaugural season. He’s always wanting him and his team to do better and it showed on Saturday.
“You talk about another competitive guy,” head coach André Tourigny said. “Another guy who is never satisfied, who always wants more. He wants to be a difference-maker. I think right now, our power play is rolling and he’s a big part of it.”
For Keller, it was just cool for him to score in front of his mom. The trip to San Jose completes the two-game road trip for Utah players and their mentors. Perhaps playing in front of their parents and peers has been a good luck charm for Utah. They are a perfect 2-0-0 with them in attendance.
Road Streak Hits Historic Six
Saturday’s win placed Utah in the NHL history books. For the first time in NHL history, a team recorded six or more straight wins on the road in their inaugural season, beating out the Minnesota North Stars who held the record of five straight wins back in 1967-68. Not even the Vegas Golden Knights, who hold almost every single inaugural season record in history, accomplished the feat that Utah has achieved.
Ever since losing their first game of the month to the Dallas Stars by a score of 2-1 in regulation, Utah has gotten at least one point in every single game they’ve played in December. It’s changed the environment around the whole team as they’ve pulled themselves well above .500 now.
Saturday’s game showed that Utah can battle against adversity. Back in October, Utah blew a massive lead to the Sharks who, at that time, hadn’t won a game yet. This time, the team kept battling back even when the Sharks had the lead, showing that they had fight and determination in them this time around. Tourigny found this to be one of the biggest takeaways.
“When everything is sunshine and rainbows and everything is good, that’s one thing,” Tourigny said. “But when you have adversity…the way we bounced back, that’s good stuff. That’s what you want to see from your team.”
Not only is Utah now three games above .500, they are back in the thick of the playoff race. With a 14-11-5 record, they have 33 points. They are only two points back of the Vancouver Canucks for the last wild card spot in the Western Conference. Utah is also three points back of the Stars for the third spot in the Central Division. This is exactly where most people wanted the team to be, improving game after game and hunting down a spot to compete for the Stanley Cup. It’s all thanks to the team’s grit and determination to put themselves where they’re at now.
“That shows the character of our team,” Carcone said. “You’ve got to find some ugly ways to win sometimes and that’s what the best teams do. We’re putting ourselves in that conversation.”
With a competitive record and two more road wins in the book, Utah will have a three-day break without games. Their next game will be on Wednesday when the Vancouver Canucks visit the Delta Center. The Canucks are 15-9-5 this season and are coming off a 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins. They will play the Colorado Avalanche before traveling to Salt Lake City.
