EDMONTON, ALBERTA, Canada – Utah Hockey Club went cold after a first period goal and couldn’t overcome a disastrous second period in a 4-1 loss to Edmonton.
Utah HC (16-15-6, 38 points) is in the Great White North to face Edmonton (22-12-3, 47 points) at Rogers Place on Tuesday, December 31.
Last one of 2024.
📍: Rogers Place
⏰: 7PM MT
📺: UtahHC+ and Utah 16
📻: KSL Sports Zone pic.twitter.com/yXStFTmdpN— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) December 31, 2024
The defending Western Conference champion Oilers enter the night in third place in the Pacific Division, trailing the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. Utah HC is fifth in the Central Division, five points behind the Dallas Stars.
Edmonton features some of the best scoring punch in the league, led by Leon Draisaitl (26 goals, 29 assists, 55 points) and Connor McDavid (15 goals, 37 assists, 52 points). The Oilers 3.25 goals per game is tenth in the league.
Three Utah HC players have cracked the 30-point plateau already, led by 37 points (13 goals, 24 assists) from captain Clayton Keller. Dylan Guenther (16 goals, 16 assists) and Logan Cooley (9 goals, 23 assists) check in with 32 points each.
Confirmed conditioning loan for Ingram. https://t.co/zDdxL06Zfq
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 31, 2024
#UtahHC Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo (lower-body) has been placed on Injured Reserve retroactive to December 10.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 31, 2024
Clayton Keller will not play tonight due to illness.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
LISTEN LIVE: @utahhockeyclub begins their road trip up north against the @EdmontonOilers on the @kslsports app, @KSLSportsZone and:https://t.co/yZ8KKqMtZC pic.twitter.com/RebywfmgwT
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 1, 2025
Oilers score early in the first period.
1-0 Edmonton.
1P: 15:32
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 1, 2025
Sergachev is back on the ice.
Good sign for Utah and No. 98. https://t.co/bGLjiLIRGz
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Nice pass from Guenther and McBain finishes with a little backhand-forehand action.
Well executed. https://t.co/DONQmFUVI5
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Sergachev puts one off the pipe following a stellar pass from Cooley.
Great execution but the puck stays out.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Liam O'Brien has brought some serious energy in the first period for #UtahHC
Couple nice chances in front as he's attacked the net relentlessly.
It's been more than 2 months since Spicy Tuna last played. He's been waiting for this chance and told me he'd bring some juice.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Cooley is simply mesmerizing to watch with the puck on his stick.
Not only does he have incredible puck handling skills, but the way he uses his body to protect the puck is elite.
Such a talented player.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
End 1st period.
Utah and Edmonton are locked at 1 after a goal in close from Jack McBain.
SOG
Utah 11
Edmonton 15pic.twitter.com/2NXsKay8NG— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 1, 2025
Even after one. pic.twitter.com/0mikmEzCNl
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) January 1, 2025
2 goals for Edmonton in 19 seconds.
Explosion of offense from the Oilers and the ice has suddenly tilted.
3-1 Oilers with roughly 14 minutes to go in the second. https://t.co/ta7EWDeTkA
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Unfortunate penalty. McBain was finishing a check, turned, and McDavid tumbled to the ice over his stick. https://t.co/jrH7AltQ1v
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Edmonton penalty.#UtahHC to the power play.
2P: 8:19 | 3-1 Edmonton
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 1, 2025
Great power play by #UtahHC but some bad puck luck as Sergachev hit the post again and Maccelli put one over the top of an open net after Kesselring faked everyone out.
Score remains 3-1 Oilers.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Tough miss from Maccelli during the power play.
That puck simply needs to find the back of the net.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Third period up next. pic.twitter.com/fktWy1BHW5
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) January 1, 2025
4 on 4 hockey to begin the 3rd period after the little scrum that happened at the end of the 2nd.
Liam O'Brien will sit in the box for Utah.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Critical moment in the game. Big power play opportunity to get back within one in the third period. https://t.co/v2QJsfkexl
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Ian Cole to the box for 2 minutes.
Oilers with another power play opportunity.
3P: 10:35 | 3-1 Edmonton.
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 1, 2025
Stauber to the bench.
Extra attacker on for #UtahHC
2 minutes remaining and Utah trails 3-1.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Edmonton scores on the empty net and that will do it.
Utah loses 4-1 to end 2024.
Tough stretch recently. One of those intense low points but that's the nature of this young team in the midst of a rebuild.
Refiners fire.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025
Utah Hockey Club games can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on the KSL Sports app or 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. Listen to Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
Find KSLSports.com coverage of the Utah Hockey Club here.
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Brian Preece is a KSLsports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball coverage here.
