SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 19: Nick Schmaltz #8 of the Utah Hockey Club in action during the first period of a game against the Boston Bruins at Delta Center on October 19, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY- In a game where Nick Schmaltz and the Utah Hockey Club have been creating great scoring opportunities and out-shooting Dallas all night, the Stars were able to take advantage of their chances, building a 2-0 lead that they held until nearly halfway through the third period.
Utah kept pushing strong and was finally able to break through to cut the deficit in half with time still remaining to tie the game.
The Stars were attempting to clear the puck from their offensive zone but Nick Bjugstad spoiled their try, keeping the puck inside the blue line. He dumped it back to Matias Maccelli and the two waited for reinforcements to join them in Dallas’ zone.
The Stars’ defense got scrambled as a swarm of Utah players came back toward the puck and Nick Schmaltz was able to enter unmarked. Maccelli passed it to Schmaltz who possessed the puck and let his momentum carry him toward net. He loaded up and sent a rocket past Casey DeSmith, bouncing it off the post and into the back of the net for Utah’s first goal of the night.
The goal with 13:03 remaining pulled UHC to within one.
Nice battle, great dump off pass by Maccelli and Schmaltz BURIES it. Good sign for him.
Utah needs him to stay hot.#UtahHC https://t.co/Dm5rFAJ41C
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 3, 2024
It’s no secret that one of the biggest headlines surrounding the Utah Hockey Club over the past few weeks was the fact that Schmaltz had yet to net his first goal. Despite a plethora of chances and a goal in Pittsburgh that was called back due to interference, there was a constant goose egg on the scoring sheet for No. 8.
However, against Vegas, Schmaltz finally found the back of the net not only once, but twice as he ended the cold streak with an exclamation point.
Nick Schmaltz on his first goal: “It feels great…kind of a little sigh of relief. Feel a little lighter after you see one go in. Hopefully that can bring more confidence to my game and more goals.”#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 1, 2024
“It feels great…kind of a little sigh of relief. Feel a little lighter after you see one go in. Hopefully, that can bring more confidence to my game and more goals,” Nick Schmaltz said.
Stellar feed from Keller and Schmaltz BURIES it.
That had to feel good. Huge relief for No. 8 and Utah is ROLLING right now.#UtahHC https://t.co/P29bhWK29z
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 1, 2024
“That was a good game with great goaltending…it was good to have Schmaltzy get the monkey off his back, Carcs get the monkey off his back. I think those two guys are important point producers for us. So, it was good for them,” Tourigny said.
Saturday nights dominant performance seemed like the result of Utah’s veterans’ collective frustration bursting as they were finally rewarded for their efforts. The fact that it took Schmaltz 24 games to score was so unusual. Carcone scoreless in 14 appearances was also strange, and Keller experiencing nearly a month scoring drought was well out of the norm.
Luckily, each of them stepped up against the Golden Knights which is something that this team has been in desperate need of. While the young guys like Jack McBain, Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley have been excellent as of late, Utah wasn’t getting quite enough from their veterans at times.
But now that so many cold streaks are over and the pressure is off, Utah needs to build on this victory. If they can get that kind of effort and urgency from their veterans on top of the juice the young guys are bringing, the club could get right back into the playoff mix and catch fire.
Hopefully, what happened in Vegas, doesn’t necessarily stay in Vegas for the Utah Hockey Club.
