SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Hockey Club dug deep to force overtime, scoring three third-period goals to force overtime. Despite a gallant effort, Utah couldn’t hang on in the first shootout loss in club history.
Utah HC fell to the Central Division-leading Wild at Delta Center on Tuesday, December 10. Minnesota’s 40 points tie them with Winnipeg and Washington for the NHL lead.
Fought hard all night. pic.twitter.com/cp1hOm2arD
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) December 11, 2024
Kirill Kaprizonv’s 42 points (17 goals, 25 assists) lead a Wild team that scores 3.19 goals per game. Matt Boldy has 12 goals and 15 assists, while Marco Rossi adds nine goals and 14 assists.
The Wild enter tonight’s game with an 11-2-3 road record.
Utah HC boasts a varied attack, with four players reaching the 20-point plateau through 27 games. Captain Clayton Keller leads the group with 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists), followed by Dylan Guenther’s 23 points. Logan Cooley (22 points) and Nick Schmaltz (21 points) round out the quartet.
Utah is 4-5-2 at Delta Center in its inaugural season.
The game can be viewed on ESPN+, Hulu or Disney+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone.
Guenther on #UtahHC potential this year vs last: “We’re better this year. We’re a better team. We’re trying to build & improve & I think that we’ve done that. Even when we weren’t getting the wins, it felt like we were playing pretty well. So, just focusing on the process.” pic.twitter.com/2PWjWPrA3t
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 10, 2024
Back for some hockey in the NHL’s newest home.#UtahHC pic.twitter.com/v6Tc1vaxuE
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
Honey, we’re home! pic.twitter.com/W9rHbJRBcl
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) December 11, 2024
Veggie and friends 🙌#UtahHC | @zionsbank pic.twitter.com/ugp3twIoI8
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) December 11, 2024
LISTEN LIVE: @utahhockeyclub is back home to face the @mnwild on the @kslsports app, @KSLSportsZone and:https://t.co/0LLiM8b3Ot pic.twitter.com/K6BC5E0tUL
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
Two nice saves by Vejmelka back-to-back. First, he stops a driving Minnesota forward right in the crease and then a shot in close from the right faceoff circle.
Made sure to hug the post & cut down the angle.
Good back n forth here early.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
Keller off the post and the game stays tied 0-0.
Gorgeous feed to the slot and he fires one off the outside of the pipe.
1P: 9:20.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
STENLUND SCORES AND ITS 1-0 UTAH!!!!!!!#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
This was a phenomenal sequence from #UtahHC.
Not shown was the elite zone entry and sneaky shot fake from Maatta to free up space.
Utah then followed it up with nice movement, great patience, net traffic and a great one-timer from Stenlund. https://t.co/Ng4JMn44wW
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
#UtahHC draws a 2 minute penalty for tripping.
Minnesota to the power play.
1P: 2:08
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
Minnesota draws a penalty.
4 on 4 hockey for 20 seconds. Then Utah will have a power play for 1:40.#UtahHC
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
End of 1st period.
Utah 1
Minnesota 0SOG
Utah 6
Minnesota 17#UtahHC— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
Logan Cooley to the box for 2 minutes for high-sticking.
4 on 4 for 1:05. Minnesota will then have a power play for 55 second.#UtahHC
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
Wild score on a breakaway and the game is tied 1-1.
2P: 5:35#UtahHC
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
Another bad stretch during the second period for Utah.
Wild scored twice in 35 seconds. https://t.co/49ZY2cBM8Z
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
End 2nd period.
Utah 1
Minnesota 2SOG
Utah 12
Minnesota 28— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
Robert Bortuzzo will not return to tonight’s game after sustaining a lower body injury.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
#UtahHC to the power play after Keller is tripped up.
3P: 16:44
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
https://t.co/5KkWE57iRO pic.twitter.com/3vGrAgAO9S
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
Wild retake the lead seconds later.
3-2 Minnesota
3P: 14:20
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
#UtahHC with another power play opportunity after Guenther is tripped.
3P: 11:22
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 11, 2024
CLAYTON. KELLER. SCORES. AGAIN.
3-3 in Salt Lake City!#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
The captain is on fire 🔥 https://t.co/JzD1AQtElA
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
That's why you always follow your shot.
Heck of a goal from Valimaki to retake the lead. #UtahHC https://t.co/kgaqeno6VN
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
Minnesota's goaltender to the bench.
Extra attacker on.
1:19 remaining.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
This game is simply drunk.
Off to overtime. Each team gets a point. Let's see if Utah can get two.#UtahHC https://t.co/lQb0w9DNl3
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
First shootout in #UtahHC history up next.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
Nick Schmaltz misses.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
Vejmelka makes the first stop.
Score remains 0-0.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
Keller gets stopped.
Score remains 0-0#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
Minnesota scores.
1-0#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
Nick Bjugstad puts it off the post.
No goal.
Minnesota wins the shootout 1-0.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 11, 2024
Utah Hockey Club games can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air 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.
