Utah Continues Win Streak, Defeats Wild 4-0

The Minnesota Wild faced the Utah Hockey Club for the third time this season and the second meeting in Minnesota. Each team won their respective road game, with the Wild winning 5-4 in a shootout in Salt Lake City and then Utah won 2-1 in regulation in St. Paul. The Wild significantly boosted their lineup as Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon returned from injury but remained without Jonas Brodin and Marcus Johansson. 

Utah was missing Dylan Guenther and Robert Bortuzzo due to injuries. The goaltending battle was between Filip Gustavsson for the Wild and Karel Vejmelka for Utah. The game started in favor of Utah and stayed that way the whole game, as they took the win 4-0. This moved the Wild’s record to 28-16-4 and Utah to 21-19-7. 

Game Recap

The game started quickly, as Utah got on the board first, Barrett Hayton deflected a puck past Gustavsson to make it 1-0. The lone assist on the goal went to Nick DeSimone. It looked like Utah would go up by two as they scored a short time later, but it was overturned due to goaltender interference. Utah scored again before the period ended; this time, it stuck as Clayton Keller tallied the goal on the power play. Matias Maccelli and Nick Schmaltz assisted him to make it 2-0. That was the period’s final goal, and Utah went into intermission with the lead. 

The second period was scoreless until late, when Utah added another to extend their lead to three. Lawson Crouse scored the goal, and the assist went to Olli Maata. That was the only goal scored in the second, and Utah remained in the lead going into the second intermission. 

The third period followed the same path as the first two as Utah added to their lead. Hayton scored his second of the game on a weird trickle that got through Gustavsson and DeSimone assisted him once again. The Wild wouldn’t get on the board, and Utah won 4-0.

The Wild remain home to host the Calgary Flames on Saturday evening, Jan. 25, for Hockey Day Minnesota. While Utah will remain on the road and head north to face the Winnipeg Jets on Friday, Jan. 24.