Logan Cooley had no interest in talking about personal accolades.
Despite a goal and a forward-leading 20:39 of ice time in Thursday’s 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers at Delta Center, Cooley could only think about the team.
Well, that and winning.
“It’s all about the team. Individual success is nice but it’s all about winning games,” Cooley said. “That’s when you’re having fun and feeling good. I feel like when I’m at my best is when we’re winning as a team.”
It could be argued Cooley is at his best even when the team is losing, though.
Utah dropped its eighth game in the last 10 on Thursday. In the first five games of Utah’s homestand, it has won one. Through all of that, Cooley has continued to emerge as a star.
“They played against their top line for most of the night, 90% of his shift, and did a really good job. I liked his game a lot,” head coach André Tourigny said of Cooley. “He’s proved to us in a year and a half now how much he’s improved and how much he understands the game.”
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Jack McBain (22) tries to get one past New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) during a game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
The 20-year-old extended his point streak to three games with a power-play goal in the second period against the Rangers. But it is his defense that has made Cooley all that more of a threat.
“It’s something that I take a lot of pride in. It’s an important part of the game,” Cooley said of his two-way play. “You have to play both sides if you want to get into the playoffs, you want to win games and eventually win the Stanley Cup.”
Since Dylan Guenther’s lower-body injury sidelined “indefinitely,” Cooley has been centering the first line between Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. In the two games before Thursday, Cooley logged a career-high 23:16 and then 24:50 of total ice time while garnering a point in each contest.
“It’s what every player wants, to be in key moments, be on the ice a lot and try to help the team win. It’s nice that the coaching staff has trust in me,” Cooley said. “We’ve created a lot of chances as a line. Trying to build off of that.”
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) during a game against the New York Rangers at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
The University of Minnesota product is on the first power play unit, used on the penalty kill and has cemented himself as a top-six stalwart in his sophomore season in the league. Cooley sits second in points on Utah with 38 (13 goals, 25 assists), just six behind captain Keller who leads the team with 44.
Those two connected for Utah’s third goal of the night. Cooley earned Utah a 3-2 lead less than a minute into the second period as the team skated on the power play — one which carried over from the opening frame. Keller got the puck by the left circle and swung it over to Cooley through two Rangers to one-time past New York goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
Matias Maccelli scored twice in the first period — putting Utah up 1-0 at 1:01 and 2-1 at 8:12 — off rebound goals both times. It marked Maccelli’s third multi-goal game of the season and boosted him to a seven-goal total.
Artemi Panarin and Arthur Kaliyev evened things 2-2 for the Rangers by the end of the first period. Panarin wired one over Karel Vejmelka’s shoulder before Kaliyev knocked in a loose puck in Utah’s crease at 16:25.
Cooley’s tally on the power play to open the middle frame put Utah ahead, but a three-goal third period from New York stole the two points from The Club.
“The feel of it, I thought we played a pretty good game for the most part. But there are no moral victories in this job,” Utah defenseman Ian Cole said. “You’re judged on wins and losses and that’s it. We’re pretty frustrated in here. … Gotta get through it somehow.”
The team was quick to give up a goal in the third, and short-handed nonetheless. An Alexis Lafrenière cross-checking penalty at the buzzer put Utah on the power play to start the final stanza, but the Rangers were the only ones to capitalize. Reilly Smith snapped one off the rush at 00:28 to make it 3-3.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Nick Bjugstad (17) gets physical with New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (55) during a game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
Chris Kreider brought the contest to a 4-3 scoreline with a goal at 10:22 before Panarin sealed it with an empty-netter at 19:22 for the 5-3 win.
“We know the situation. This is our first year, we want to come out and win games for these fans,” Cole said. “We want to put our best foot forward, especially here at home. It’s unfortunate what the record is.”
The record Cole mentioned is a league-worst six wins at home this season. Utah has two matchups remaining in its seven-game homestand to send the fans home happy.
“We are all trying to do the right things, we’re trying to be selfless, do what’s best for the team,” Cooley said. “It’s another loss on home ice. …We’ve got to find a way out of this.”
