Utah improves to 2-1 on their five game homestand with a win over Winnipeg
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Hockey Club scored first and never looked back, securing a 3-1 win over the NHL’s best team, the Winnipeg Jets. Captain Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton (PPG), Kevin Stenlund, and Nick Bjugstad (EN) scored for Utah while Mark Scheifele had Winnipeg’s lone goal. Keller also had an assist in the win which was his 500th NHL point. Karel Vejmelka, in his 20th straight start, stopped 31 of 32 shots.
“Really solid, Vejmelka, again, was really solid,” head coach André Tourigny said. “I think as a team we played really solid. I think in the third we got on our heels, but I don’t want that to reflect on our game because we played well against a really good team. It was a hell of a game and I’m really proud of the guys.”
“We had a good start, we played with a lot of speed,” Captain Clayton Keller said postgame. “A great team, tough to play against, they have great players, so I was proud of the way we fought the whole game. The third maybe got away from us a little bit but Vejmelka was unreal as usual, kept us in the game, made key saves at the right times, and it’s a good feeling to win at home.”
As they have in recent games, Utah came out strong in the first period. Seven seconds into the power play, some quick passing helped Utah get on the board. Nick Schmaltz chipped it to Barrett Hayton who saw an open Clayton Keller. Utah’s Captain quickly shot and scored as the home team took a 1-0 lead in the opening minutes.
Less than a minute later, Kevin Stenlund was called for holding and sent to the box. Against the second-best power play in the NHL, Utah held the Jets to just one shot on the man-advantage. 12 minutes into the game, Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz had a strong chance on a 2-on-1. However, Winnipeg’s goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped both Hayton’s initial shot and Schmaltz’s shot on the rebound.
57 seconds into the second period, Barrett Hayton’s power play goal gave Utah a 2-0 lead over the Jets. It was tic-tac-toe play with Keller finding Guenther cross-ice before Guenther fed to Hayton on the doorstep. Hayton lifted the puck and shoveled it in on his backhand to double Utah’s lead.
Halfway through the second, while Winnipeg was on the power play, Mark Scheifele’s shot hit the cross bar. Not long after, Karel Vejmelka came up with a big save. Utah killed off a second penalty against a top power play.
With three minutes left in the middle, Kevin Stenlund increased Utah’s lead to 3-0 with his 13th goal of the season. Mikhail Sergachev’s stretch pass found Stenlund in stride, and the forward’s shot soared past Hellebuyck. The goal was Stenlund’s second goal in his last three games.
Winnipeg got on the board with Mark Scheifele’s power play goal at the start of the third period. After Vejmelka made a save, and Ian Cole cleared away a rebound attempt, Scheifele scored. Minutes later, Vejmelka denied Scheifele on another opportunity to hold onto Utah’s 3-1 lead. Nick Bjugstad scored an empty net goal in the final three minutes of regulation and increased Utah’s lead to 4-1. The home team held on and secured their 35th win of the season.
“Shows how good of a team we are,” Stenlund shared post-game. “When we play the right way, play our way, it was a good game.”
Other Notes from Tonight’s Game:
Captain Clayton Keller reached a new milestone in tonight’s game, reaching his 500th career NHL point. Through the 595 games it took to achieve this, Keller had 192 goals and 308 assists. Through 76 games this season, Keller has scored 26 goals and contributed 56 assists for 82 points. Keller became the second-ever Missouri born player to record 500 NHL points joining Pat LaFontaine.
“I honestly had no idea coming into the game so I was a bit surprised,” Keller said of achieving this milestone. “Lots of hard work, sacrifice, so many people in my life sacrificed for me to get to this level so just super thankful for everything that they’ve done for me. And my teammates, coaches, and so many people that have helped me get to where I am. It’s cool (to achieve) and I still feel like I have a lot more to give and I’m just getting started.”
There was plenty of special teams action in this game and Utah delivered. In addition to scoring two power play goals (Keller, Hayton), Utah kept Winnipeg off the board on three of their four power play opportunities. Entering tonight’s game, the Jets had the second-best power play in the NHL.
“Maybe the power play had been struggling a little bit,” Keller explained. “But I think that’s how you get better is when you struggle, you learn from it, you watch the video, you break it down a little bit more and you simplify. I think we had an attack mindset tonight. We finished when we had opportunities and we worked away from the puck so I think that’s a key for us.”
“They’re all really good players,” Stenlund explained about playing with his penalty kill unit. “Smart players, it makes it easy for myself. Good team out there.”
Karel Vejmelka made his 20th straight start, delivering time and time again as he has throughout this stretch. Against a Jets team that averages the fourth-most goals per game, Vejmelka held Winnipeg to just one goal through 32 shots.
What’s Next?
Utah has its fourth straight game at home on Tuesday, Apr. 8 against the Seattle Kraken. Limited tickets are available here!
